IDA and The HSUS Urge Lovers to Have a Heart, Shun Fur

Chicago, Ill. - This February, Chicago's "L" Train will stand for "love" all month long when In Defense of Animals (IDA) and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) team up to blanket the red line with a humane Valentine's Day message for Chicago cupids. The fuzzy ad, which reads "Beavers and foxes have as much right to live as cats and dogs" shoots straight from the heart reminding Windy City residents if you wouldn't make a coat (or a cuff) out of Fido or Fluffy then you shouldn't wear fur.

The colorful ad designed by celebrated artist Peter Max, who has painted for five U.S. Presidents, the Beatles, Aerosmith, and the Rolling Stones, seeks to sway romantics planning to shower their sweethearts with lavish gifts away from fur this February 14th.

Why are the groups urging Chicagoans to put the "heart" back in heartland? By shunning clothing made from skins of animals, millions of foxes, minks, beavers, and chinchilla killed every year for fur hats, gloves, coats and muffs can keep their backsides this winter. A single fur coat requires the skins of forty to one hundred animals. Whether they spend their lives on filthy fur farms in wire mesh cages before being gassed, poisoned or electrocuted to death or are trapped in the wild in metal leg hold traps, animals suffer for fur. Trapped animals often languish for days before the trapper comes to break their necks, and some even chew off their own limbs attempting to escape.

Many top designers-including Stella McCartney, Todd Oldham, Marc Bouwer, and Benjamin Cho-do not design with fur out of concern for animals. Top retailers are now opting for faux fur and shun the cruelty associated with real fur. Fashion chains including Victoria's Secret , the Gap, Banana Republic, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Old Navy, and most recently Forever 21 have made the compassionate decision not to sell fur or fur trim.

"A person wearing fur is announcing that she supports animals being electrocuted, stomped and beaten simply for vanity and greed," says IDA President Elliot Katz, DVM. "Fur-wearing Chicagoans give the city a cold-hearted reputation. With the availability of modern synthetics, staying warm no longer necessitates killing animals. We have hope that the loving spirit of Valentine's Day will warm the hearts of those less compassionate consumers."

For more information, please visit www.FurKills.com.