Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Fur for Animals, Not for Fashion

Published in the Seattle Press on December 6, 2001.

To the Editor:

As the weather gets colder and we move into winter, fur coats and fur-trimmed jackets will become a more common sight around the Seattle region.

Thanks to fashion industry trendsetters, countless fur-bearing animals are still suffering in leghold traps and tiny cages on fur farms merely to be made into fur garments. Neiman Marcus, perhaps the trendsetter of the fashion world, plays an inordinately central role in the perpetuation of this cruel “fashion.”

While eliminating fur from its racks would hardly dent its annual earnings, Neiman Marcus has consistently refused to adopt a more socially responsible policy. In fact, despite a long-standing, nationwide campaign by a coalition of humane organizations, the company has refused even to discuss this ethical dilemma. Neiman Marcus cannot bury its head in the sand forever. The public does not support the gratuitous harming and killing of animals, and we must send this message loud and clear.

On behalf of the 10 million animals needlessly tortured and killed for their fur each year in the United States, please join animal advocates across the country in protesting Neiman Marcus’ fur policy. Visit www.NeimansKills.com for information on how to contact the company.

Suzanne McMillan, Correspondent
Compassion Over Killing
www.cok-online.org