People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the animal rights activist group, has now turned its attacks on wool. At a recent protest in America against fashion brand COS (a Swedish fashion brand in the H&M Group), PETA activists targeted the company over its use of wool, prompting a furious reaction from many within the fashion industry.

PETA seems obsessed with attacking natural animal-based materials such as fur, wool and leather. It has no respect for consumer choice and instead wants to dictate which materials fashion designers and brands should be allowed to use.

But too many brands and fashion CEOs lack the courage to stand up to PETA.

They panic when a petition is launched or a protest takes place and listen to a small minority of activists rather than looking at the facts or listening to their customers.

SEE ALSO: Sustainability: Why is Gucci so confused? Truth About Fur, November 2017.

Clear Objective

PETA’s ultimate objective is clear: to end the use of animal-based materials altogether. If that agenda succeeds, consumers can kiss goodbye to leather bags, wool jumpers and fur coats.

And I blame many brands and fashion bosses for allowing us to get to this point.

Too many gave in to PETA’s pressure over fur, perhaps believing that would be the end of it.

It wasn’t.

Now the pressure is on wool, and next it will be leather.

Where does it end?

If brands and designers don’t start taking a stand, they risk reaching a point where it feels as though they need a PETA representative to approve everything they design.

SEE ALSO: What is "vegan fashion" and how true is the hype? Truth About Fur, December 2022.

Who Should Lead Fashion?

Fashion should be led by designers and consumer choice – not dictated by activist organisations.

It’s time to make a stand for consumer choice and natural materials.

Brands and retailers should look at the facts rather than simply reacting to protests and campaigning claims.

Fur, wool, leather, cotton and silk are natural materials. Many products made from these materials can be worn, repaired, reused and passed down for decades.

At a time when the fashion industry is rightly debating sustainability and its reliance on synthetic materials, we should be having a serious discussion about the role natural materials can play – not simply banning them because activists demand it.

SEE ALSO: Sustainable fur: Global campaign highlights benefits of real fur over plastic fake fur. Truth About Fur, February 2018.

It’s time for brands and designers to fight back.

PETA can campaign for what it believes in. But it cannot be allowed to frighten the fashion industry into submission or dictate what designers create and what consumers are allowed to buy.

Fashion needs to rediscover its courage.

Have the guts to say NO to PETA!

The Fur Institute of Canada (FIC) is now an official rodeo sponsor, looking to educate fans about fur in general and in particular about its brand Canadian Seal Products. In return, bull rider Benjamin Shaw gets to put his life on the line without the added worry of paying to compete and travel between venues.

Widely known as the national voice for Canada's fur sector, the FIC also represents the sealing industry through the Seals & Sealing Network. The SSN unites the country's commercial and Indigenous seal harvesters, processors, manufacturers and retailers to promote high-quality and sustainable seal oil, meat and fur. This it does via its two brands: Canadian Seal Products and Proudly Indigenous Crafts & Designs.

Fixture of Rural Communities

Western culture is growing in popularity across Canada, with such events as bull riding, bronco riding (bareback and saddled), and trick riding, against a backdrop of musical performances and kitchen parties.

“Rodeos, agricultural fairs and Western festivals are a fixture of rural communities, much like Canada’s fur and sealing sectors,” says FIC's Executive Director Doug Chiasson. “Benjamin brings determination, discipline and perseverance to his sport – qualities which make us proud to support him while spreading the word about fur and seal products.”

FIC's sponsorship deal kicked off on July 29 at the Expo agricole de Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, and most recently came to Nova Scotia for the Sept. 24-27 Cape Breton Pro Rodeo in Sydney.

Debut of FIC/CSP Booth

Aside from providing a change of scenery from Quebec Province, the Cape Breton festival also marked the debut of CSP's very own information booth. Manned by Catherine Moores of Carino, visitors learned all about Canada’s sealing sector, including its communities and their wide range of clothing, oil and food products.

“Cape Breton is a natural place for us to connect with people who understand the importance of rural communities, tradition and the sustainable use of Canada’s natural resources,” says Chiasson. “We’re excited to support the Cape Breton Pro Rodeo, cheer Benjamin on in the arena, and meet people from across Atlantic Canada throughout the weekend.”

By partnering with Benjamin Shaw, CSP will gain visibility at such festivals both through its information booth, and also via its branding on Benjamin's competition vest and trailer, and photos and videos documenting his experiences on the rodeo circuit.

The Man Himself

Originally from the Gaspé Peninsular and now based in Montreal, Benjamin, 24, came to bull riding after serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. Drawn to the sport’s intensity and constant demand for improvement, he gained recognition in 2025 by winning the Jackpot at Ranch Gagnon and BullMania in Sorel-Tracy.

“Having the support and trust of the FIC and CSP makes a meaningful difference as I continue competing and developing as an athlete,” says Benjamin. “Rodeo has a long history in Canada, and so do the fur and sealing sectors, so this is a great opportunity to bring these two parts of our heritage together.”

Benjamin rode twice in Cape Breton, on 1,800-lb bulls called "Chilly" and "Equalizer". In what was just another day at the office for a bull rider, Chilly managed to smash his free hand against the chute before the gate had even been opened!

Truly, bull riding is not a sport for the faint of heart, so we hope the celebrities Benjamin got to rub shoulders with helped make up for it!

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To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

Sometimes called "the most dangerous eight seconds in sports", bull riding at Western-themed events is growing in popularity across Canada. Now sponsoring bull rider Benjamin Shaw, the Fur Institute of Canada hopes to educate rodeo fans about fur in general and in particular about its brand Canadian Seal Products.

By the time the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC) and Canadian Seal Products (CSP) came into my life this summer, my rodeo season was already well underway. I had already been travelling, riding, falling, learning and trying to establish myself on the circuit.

So the sponsorship did not start my season. It arrived right in the middle of it, when I was already deep into the grind.

And from that point on, things got pretty eventful.

My brother has been beside me through almost all of it. Rodeo can look like an individual sport because there is only one rider sitting on the bull, but there is a lot that happens before and after those eight seconds. There are long drives, hours of waiting, equipment to deal with, injuries, disappointment and then another long drive to the next rodeo. Having my brother there every weekend has been a huge source of support.

In the Slack

The first stop after the sponsorship came together was Le Rodéo Pont-Château in Quebec, on July 17-18.

The new competition vest with the FIC and CSP logos was not ready yet, but the partnership was underway. Jacob from Torchia Communications came out to see me and we spent part of the day together at the rodeo.

There was just one problem. There were too many riders for everyone to compete during the main evening performance. I had insisted on riding that day because I already had another rodeo the next day, so when the draw was made, I ended up in the slack.

Instead of competing during the main evening performance in front of the crowd, I had to ride during the daytime competition. When you are trying to build yourself as a bull rider and now also represent sponsors, you want to be under the lights. You want the crowd. You want to be part of the show.

It was frustrating, but that is rodeo. You take the ride you are given.

The Vest Was Ready ... But

By the Festival Western de Saint-André-Avellin on July 23-25, the vest was ready. For the first time, I could climb onto a bull while sporting the FIC and CSP logos – except that I never got the chance!

There was a required equipment inspection before the rodeo, and while it was taking place, I was still on the road driving to Saint-André-Avellin. I got a call telling me I had missed the inspection. Because my equipment had not been inspected, I could not compete. I was disqualified before I ever got on the bull.

I had finally received the new vest. I was ready to represent my new sponsors in the arena for the first time. And instead, I had to watch.

It was another frustrating lesson in rodeo. There is a lot more to getting those eight seconds than simply being willing to climb onto the bull.

At Last

A few days later came the Expo agricole de Saint-Hyacinthe. I rode on Wednesday, July 29, and Jacob came out again.

Before the competition began, as we do at every rodeo, we gathered for the cowboy’s prayer.

There were around 20,000 people there that evening. For a moment, with our cowboy hats held over our hearts and that enormous crowd around us, everything became still.

We do the prayer everywhere we ride, but that one felt different. There was something solemn about standing there together before the rodeo began, knowing that in a few minutes all the noise, movement and adrenaline would take over.

Then it was time to get ready. For the first time, Jacob came behind the chutes with me.

That is the part of the rodeo most people in the stands never really see. The bucking chutes are the steel enclosures where the bulls are held and where we climb onto them before the gate opens. Behind them, riders are getting ready, checking equipment, concentrating and preparing themselves for what is about to happen.

Jacob came right in beside me with his camera and started taking pictures while I prepared.

He was trying to get as close as he could without getting in my way or breaking my concentration. He was taking pictures of the preparation, the bull, the vest and everything happening around us.

Then somebody warned him that he should not be back there without a cowboy hat. I was about to put my helmet on anyway, so I handed him mine.

For the next few minutes, while I prepared to ride in my helmet, Jacob stood behind the chutes wearing my cowboy hat and taking pictures.

Just seconds after I came out of the chute, we had the photo we had been looking for – the one that really announced our partnership. My free hand is held high above me. Underneath me is this enormous bull, exploding out into the arena. The CSP logo is visible on the back of my vest, and behind us the sky is glowing with the last light of the evening.

We did not know it when Jacob pressed the shutter, but we had our picture.

I remember the bull in that photo very well. Before my ride, he was in the holding area trying to dominate the other bulls around him. He was huge, aggressive and clearly wanted every other animal there to know he was in charge.

And somehow, I seem to get those bulls all the time.

That is part of rodeo. You do not simply walk through the pens and choose the bull you want. It literally comes down to the luck of the draw. The riders’ names go into one hat and the bulls’ names go into another. A rider is drawn, a bull is drawn, and that matchup also helps determine the order in which everyone will ride.

Once your name comes out beside that bull’s name, that is your bull.

For me, the luck of the draw seems to have a sense of humour. It has become a bit of a running theme. I look at the bulls around me and there always seems to be one that is bigger, stronger or meaner than the others. Then I find out that one is mine.

Off to Hospital

If Saint Hyacinthe gave us a great picture, the Festival du Cowboy de Chambord (July 30 to August 2) gave us a trip to the hospital!

I came down hard and injured my jaw. I knew immediately that something was wrong. I ended up at the hospital, and at that point I was worried that I had broken it. A broken jaw could have changed the rest of my season.

Then the doctors told me it was dislocated. I was happy.

That might sound ridiculous to most people. I had just dislocated my jaw riding a bull and somehow the diagnosis felt like good news. It was not broken, and that meant I could keep riding.

They put my jaw back into place, and almost immediately I was thinking about the next weekend.

I also needed a new helmet after the accident. I managed to get one just in time for my next ride. There was not much time to recover.

At the Festival du Cochon de Sainte-Perpétue, on August 1, I once again drew one of the toughest bulls there. Once again, the luck of the draw had put me on an enormous animal weighing around 1,800 pounds.

But that is also the point. You do not get better by riding easy bulls. You get better by getting on the bull they give you.

And sometimes that improvement comes with a price. Over the course of the following rides, I took more falls. My arm was hurting. My leg was hurting. My jaw was still recovering.

Then Monday morning came and I had to go back to work.

I work construction during the week. That creates a strange rhythm to my life during rodeo season. I spend the weekend getting thrown around by bulls, then I spend the week doing physical work while my body is trying to recover, then as soon as the weekend comes, my brother and I get back on the road and I do it again.

Seal Oil Supplements

Canadian Seal Products has also been helping me with that part of the journey. As part of the sponsorship, they provided me with seal oil supplements, a complete source of omega 3 with DPA, DHA and EPA. I have been taking them through this stretch of the season, and I feel they have helped me manage some of the soreness and pain that comes with riding and with trying to recover while still working construction during the week.

When your weekends involve getting thrown off animals that weigh around 1,800 pounds, and your weekdays involve physical labour, anything that helps you feel better and keep going matters.

There were more stops along the way, including the Festival Western Malartic (August 14-15). And through all of it, I kept riding with the FIC and CSP logos on my vest.

Feeling Accepted

Then came the Rodéo MSA on August 21-23, at Sainte Anne de Beaupré. That one stands out.

First, there is the setting. You are riding with the Saint Lawrence River stretching out nearby. The enormous Basilica of Sainte Anne de Beaupré rises beside you. In the other direction are the mountains, with Mont Sainte Anne in the background. It is hard to imagine a better place for a rodeo.

And I had a very good ride there.

I could feel that all those weekends were starting to add up. My riding was improving. I was staying with the bull better. I was learning how to react to what the animal was doing instead of simply hanging on and hoping.

But something else happened at Sainte Anne de Beaupré that probably meant just as much to me. I finally started to feel accepted.

The year before, some of the other bull riders had given me a hard time. I was still new. I was trying to find my place in a very particular world, and some guys did not make that easy.

You cannot really ask people in rodeo to respect you. You have to earn it.

By Sainte Anne de Beaupré, I had been showing up weekend after weekend. They had seen me take the big bulls. They had seen me get thrown. They had seen me get hurt. They had seen me come back.

For the first time, I felt like some of the riders who had been against me the year before were starting to see me differently. I was becoming one of them.

The following weekend (August 28–29) brought us to the Grand Rodéo in Saint Calixte.

I did not make the full eight seconds. But I rode better. And sometimes that is the part of bull riding that people watching from the stands do not necessarily see.

Eight seconds is the objective, but there are a hundred smaller victories on the way there. Staying centred a little longer. Reacting properly when the bull turns. Recovering your position when you start to lose it. Making it another second. Feeling more in control.

At Saint Calixte, even without the eight-second score, there was clear progress. That is really what these first weeks of the sponsorship have been about.

When the FIC and CSP decided to support me, with funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and the Governments of Newfoundland & Labrador and Nova Scotia, they joined my season right in the middle of the journey.

Having that kind of backing means a lot to me. Real sponsorship is not something that is easy to find in this sport, especially when you are still trying to establish yourself. Knowing that there are people genuinely behind me gives me confidence, but it also gives me opportunities I would not otherwise have. Their support allows me to spend more time practising on bulls, keep travelling to rodeos, and put more into becoming a better rider.

They are not just logos on my vest. They have become part of the journey.

Since the sponsorship began, there has been a frustrating daytime ride, a new competition vest, a disqualification before I could wear it in competition for the first time, a massive bull at Saint Hyacinthe, a great photograph, a dislocated jaw, a hospital visit, a new helmet, sore arms and legs, construction work between rodeos, thousands of kilometres on the road with my brother, some very difficult bulls, and a growing sense that maybe I am starting to earn my place among the other riders.

I am still chasing eight seconds. But I am getting closer.

Wild turkey populations are declining throughout the US, but what role is played by predators? With study sites in nine states, a team led by the non-profit Turkeys For Tomorrow (TFT) plans to find out.

You’ve hunted the same farm for 30 years. In the beginning, turkeys inhabited every available roost limb along that river bottom. You couldn’t sound a barred owl’s call without setting off an echo chamber of gobbling symphonies. Today, miles of winding river separate roosted gobblers.

Sadly, one of the purest sounds of America’s countryside is in decline. Fewer and fewer people get to hear this sweet music, and not because they don’t want to. Rather, the presence of the bird we love — the wild turkey — is fading. But why?

Are Predators to Blame?

Without question, a decline in turkey populations has spurred a response from biologists and conservation authorities. Pick any recent contemporary study in the eastern U.S. — they all show relatively low productivity. Nest success, brood survival, and hen survival are all low. Along with other factors, this indirectly (but unofficially) points to a rise in turkey predators of all shapes and sizes.

Other factors that may lead to a decline in turkey numbers include disease and a loss or decline in wild turkey habitat. There have been some disease implications detected in some areas of the country, but nothing that points to disease as a cause for the widespread declines that have been documented. Habitat loss, however, has been widespread. As the human population and associated infrastructure have increased, we have lost a tremendous amount of rural area that once supported turkeys. Associated, average property ownership size has decreased, and many landowners have not maintained open lands, but have allowed them to grow rank and woody, which favors many turkey predator species.

“Productivity has remained relatively low for the past 15 years,” said Craig Harper with the University of Tennessee. “After peaking in several states, apparent declines in the turkey population have occurred, as we’ve seen harvest rates and poult-per-hen ratios decrease in many areas. Breeding Bird Survey results also have indicated a population decline in many areas.”

Existing data suggest predator numbers are notably greater than 30-40 years ago. The eastern U.S. has more coyotes than ever before. They’ve moved in and aren’t going anywhere but to a good turkey-hunting property near you. Bobcats, and other toothy critters, are doing the same.

“In many areas, people are reporting more adult predators and nest predators than ever before,” Harper said. “Pretty much anyone who is managing a property for wild turkeys has cameras on the property, and they are detecting increasing numbers of predators.”

Determining Relationship Between Predator and Turkey Abundance in Nine States

As a response to shocking decreases in wild turkey populations throughout various portions of the eastern US, the Alabama-based non-profit Turkeys for Tomorrow (TFT) is leading the charge by supporting a four-year predator-prey study to assess the impact of predators on wild turkey numbers.

Leading researchers of the project include Craig Harper and David Buehler at the University of Tennessee, Marcus Lashley at the University of Florida, Will Gulsby at Auburn University, Mark Turner and Colter Chitwood at Oklahoma State University, and Dwayne Elmore at Tall Timbers.

“This predator-prey study is needed because there is a lack of credible information to suggest predator management might be needed to reverse the decline in wild turkey populations,” said TFT CEO Jason Lupardus. “I feel that, with everyone coming together and trying to figure out what the issues are, we're hoping to come up with some solid solutions for the future.” The National Trappers Association, the National Trappers Foundation, and OnX have made commitments to this research as well.

“We have 11 sites in 9 states, and each site is approximately 1,500 acres,” Harper said. “We are using arrays of remote cameras and automated recording units (ARUs) to monitor relative abundance of wild turkeys and predators — including nest predators and those that prey on adult birds.”

The nine participating states include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee. There are two study sites in Tennessee and Florida and one study site in the other states.

“We’re going to develop a predator index across these properties to determine the relationship between the relative abundance of certain predators and wild turkeys,” Harper continued. “The team also will establish artificial nests across study sites to determine relationships between predator relative abundance and nest depredation.”

According to Lupardus, ARUs will pick-up the presence of the birds remotely. Remote cameras will further validate not only turkey numbers but also predator numbers.

“I think, when we start comparing these two, it might be a remarkable way to understand population dynamics,” Lupardus said. “It's something that we as managers — from public and private lands — have an issue with, which is to determine even baseline population indices. All we can do is track harvest year to year, but this study should help us understand relationships between predator and turkey relative abundance.”

The coalition of researchers will maintain the study with the support of TFT, but the respective landowners and managers of each property will maintain control and execution of any and all land, habitat, and wildlife management practices, representing a real-world approach that will provide useful information to anyone trying to manage their property for wild turkeys.

Pre-Study Expectations

TFT and this body of researchers obviously can’t speak to results until the data are analyzed. However, we are confident that the study should inform us when predator management may be necessary to reverse the decline in wild turkey numbers, and it will equip landowners and land managers with the knowledge needed to recognize predator-specific impacts on these birds, when best to trap for increased survival, and much more.

Some say all you need is habitat improvement, and not predator management, to boost turkey numbers. Harper, who is a staunch advocate of applied habitat management, says you might need both.

“I believe maintaining and improving wild turkey habitat is the most critical issue facing declining wild turkey numbers,” Harper said. “However, in many areas, some level of predator management may be needed to help reverse the decline in wild turkey numbers. It is going to be very interesting to see how predator relative abundance affects turkey abundance.”

“If we determine the relative effects of predator densities on wild turkey abundance, then people will have better knowledge of whether or not they should trap, how much trapping should be done, and the best time to target trapping,” Harper continued.

Harper is excited about this research effort because he wants to see if we can move the needle with regard to wild turkey abundance. He emphasizes the need to study the composition of the predator community over a large geographic area.

“The hypothesis is that predators are having a negative impact on turkey production,” Lupardus said. “We're hoping to demonstrate that, by monitoring birds over a number of years, we will be able to draw conclusions for wild turkey production improvement.”

For now, this research effort is designed to be implemented over 4 years. However, depending on project outcomes, it might be extended. If results are promising, there is discussion of how it may be extended further.

“We’re doing more at a scale that's never been done before,” Lupardus said. “We’re talking about a project that spans across the eastern US. It’s a huge endeavor that should help guide wild turkey management into the future.”

Those who love wild turkeys, enjoy hunting them, and hope to see these birds in abundance for many years to come should support this research initiative. Furthermore, support a conservation organization that tackles the biggest issues that wild turkeys face, even when bureaucracy and politics make it difficult to do so.

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To learn more about donating to Truth About Fur, click here.

The following article was first published by The Wildlife Society on July 8, 2026, and is reproduced with permission.

Debates over wildlife products increase nationwide

Fur is once again a flashpoint, exposing debate around the sustainable use of wildlife. Despite wildlife biologists’ stance that regulated trapping occurs sustainably and in concert with conservation, efforts to restrict the fur trade are moving beyond company policies into online marketplaces and local and state wildlife policy. As a global online marketplace, Etsy, prepares to implement a ban on fur in August, battles ensue over the regulation and use of fur in Colorado and Massachusetts, creating a tapestry of varying regulations, bylaws and legislation across the country.

SEE ALSO: Etsy ignores pleas to rethink fur ban. So what happens next? Truth About Fur, May 2026.

One Ban for Two Industries

Furs come in two forms: farmed and wild-caught. The difference between farmed fur and wild fur is significant, although the two are often grouped together in public debate. Each source raises different animal welfare, conservation, disease and wildlife management concerns. In the United States, mink (Neogale vison) account for most commercially farmed fur, although people raise foxes and a small number of other species for their pelts. Farmed fur is subject to its own regulations and sustainability certification programs, which are separate from wild furs. These distinctions are often lost in public discussions.

Broad fur bans, including Etsy’s, typically apply to both sources and do not make distinctions.

What is colloquially referred to as the Etsy fur ban is a change in policy that impacts products that can be sold online. On top of existing bans on the sale of threatened and endangered species, which are in line with current rules from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the platform will now ban independent artists from selling raw pelts, finished garments and accessories made with real fur from animals, such as mink, foxes and rabbits.

“Etsy prohibits products made from or containing natural fur from animals killed primarily for their pelts, regardless of age or origin,” the website states.

“Etsy’s policy sets a new standard for online retailers. Fur is losing. Designers are dropping it, publications are not promoting it, and now, Etsy, one of the world’s largest e-commerce marketplaces, is banning it,” the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT) said in an article for Fashion United.

CAFT conducted a 58-day protest campaign across 17 cities that targeted Etsy headquarters, board members and affiliates. The ban was announced after CRAFT confronted the Etsy CEO at the Morgan Stanley investor conference, saying they are “continuing to profit off the bloody fur trade” in front of investors.

CAFT claims to have one mission: to put an end to the fur trade once and for all by dismantling the retail market because, “the animals rotting away in fur farms do not care how hard we tried. They care about their liberation.”

“If you cut off the reasons [a product] gets used, eventually it goes away—in theory,” said TWS member Geriann Albers, furbearer and gamebird program leader at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, commenting on the economic theory behind why the Etsy fur ban is significant. With some products like fur, it’s often not that simple.

The email that went out to artisans cited “ongoing biodiversity efforts” as the source of the ban, although the current web page does not mention biodiversity. The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) spoke out against the Etsy fur ban, stating that wild fur is not a threat to biodiversity and that practices are guided by internationally recognized standards, including the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards, supported by decades of collaborative research among state, federal and academic partners.

Etsy is not the first company to move away from fur in recent years. Companies like Canada Goose stopped making fur-lined hoods in 2022, and New York City Fashion Week went fur-free this year due to public pressure. CAFT has taken responsibility for several companies banning fur and has been most recently focused on Milan Fashion Week. The Etsy ban does go beyond many state restrictions, and it is the first instance of a market platform limiting sales.

Fur Regulations Vary Across the Country

As debates over fur continue to evolve, states and municipalities have increasingly become the battleground for competing and sometimes divergent approaches to regulation as the lines between farmed and wild-caught animals become blurred.

Massachusetts is experiencing a patchwork of proposed and enacted legislation. Eight Massachusetts towns have banned the sale of new fur products since 2020, often citing animal cruelty and disease concerns. Similar ordinances have been proposed in other towns but have been rejected. These ordinances ban fur, regardless of whether the fur originated from farmed or wild animals, and some go as far as banning internet purchases.

The growing momentum has led to statewide initiatives in Massachusetts, including House and Senate bills, but these are narrower in scope. The bills would specifically prohibit the sale of new farmed fur products to address concerns about animal welfare in commercial fur production. Unlike some town ordinances, the bills do not prohibit the sale of wild-caught fur and fur products. They reflect a policy approach focused on fur farming rather than the management of wild furbearer populations.

Elsewhere, proposals have gone further by seeking to restrict the sale or trade of fur from legally trapped wildlife or banned trapping altogether, bringing wildlife management directly into the debate. California was the first state to ban recreational and commercial trapping with the Wildlife Protection Act of 2019. California halted the sale of furs through the Fur Products Prohibition Act the same year.

A recent debate in Colorado exemplifies the divide between wildlife professionals and policymakers when a citizens’ petition to amend regulations related to commercial fur sales was accepted. The petition, put forth by the Center for Biological Diversity, looks to limit fur sales to a narrow set of circumstances related to flies tied for fishing and hats. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff recommended denying the petition because the division lacked solid evidence that commercial fur sales are leading to unsustainable harvest levels of these animals. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission has asked the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife to initiate a formal rulemaking process for the petition. Division staff are drafting a paper that will articulate the issue and potential changes to current regulations. They will present their findings in a meeting in July and vote on the issue in September.

TWS’ Hunting, Trapping and Conservation Working Group and the Colorado Chapter of TWS spoke out against the petition, saying that the proposal was inconsistent with science-based wildlife management and could undermine the use of regulated trapping as a conservation tool. The letter also stated that prohibiting the sale of legally harvested fur would not reduce trapping but would instead result in more animals being discarded rather than fully utilized, a sentiment that Albers echoed regarding the Etsy ban.

Bans Receive Public Pushback

Some extend the debate surrounding fur beyond wildlife into a democracy and rights context, arguing that fur and trapping bans raise questions about protecting minority rights within majority decision-making. “Within the public, furbearer trappers and hunters are a minority group, but their opportunities to access wildlife that is allocated by law should be protected if we are truly a free people,” AFWA said in a Conservation Brief. Collecting, processing and selling fur is more than product; it is a way of life for some groups.

In a letter to Etsy, Senator Dan Sullivan [R-AK] expressed his concern regarding the impact the Etsy fur ban would have on indigenous communities and their ways of life. In the letter, he urged Etsy to find a way to allow indigenous artists to continue to sell their goods on the platform.

“Notably, the materials used in Alaska Native handicrafts are not ‘killed primarily for their pelts,’ the language of Etsy’s own Animal Products Policy, but are harvested as part of a subsistence lifestyle with a deep respect for the land and wildlife,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan argues that the ban goes against Etsy’s own mission to keep commerce human because these traditions are central to indigenous groups. Indigenous artisans that used Etsy have spoken out about the impact of the ban on their livelihood and their ability to connect and share their ways of life with others.

Supporters of wild fur, like AFWA, state that fur is part of a broader lifestyle involving other pursuits of self-sufficiency and argue that these communities, specifically rural and indigenous communities, will be significantly impacted with no conservation benefit.

Opposition to broad fur bans and restrictions is not new and has long been part of debates. The Sportsmen’s Alliance pushed back against the first statewide ban in 2019 on trapping in California, commenting on the loss of a wildlife management tool and potential increases in interactions between wildlife like coyotes (Canis latrans) and humans. While some parts of California are reporting increased conflicts with species like coyotes, there is little published evidence directly examining whether California’s trapping ban has measurably affected human-wildlife conflicts.

The Case for Regulated Trapping

Wildlife biologists say that for them, the debate is not simply about fashion, trends or rights. They worry that restrictions on selling legally harvested fur could have unintended consequences for wildlife management.

“Trapping provides a wide range of benefits to society, and it’s a very important component of modern wildlife management,” said Matt Peek, a wildlife research biologist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

A comprehensive study published in Wildlife Monographs supports that regulated trapping benefits extend beyond fur harvest and highlights the efforts made to ensure wildlife trapping is more humane. The authors note that contemporary trapping programs are closely tied to harvest monitoring and population management, making them an integral component of science-based wildlife conservation in North America. Wildlife agencies use trapping to relocate animals, protect endangered species, restore habitats, reduce human-wildlife conflicts, protect agricultural production and safeguard the public. Populations of sea turtles, Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) and whooping cranes (Grus americana) have benefited from trapping by removing predators.

Some of the bans and muddling between farmed furs and wild furs may come from public misconceptions. While trapping awareness appears to be increasing in some states and disapproval to be declining, there seem to be misconceptions that endangered species are used for furs.

Peek and Albers agree that even in the private sector, furs are usually a byproduct of reducing human-wildlife conflict, such as beavers causing flooding or property damage. “Two-thirds of trappers are contacted every year about nuisance work,” Albers said. “Most of their trapping is because someone has called them with a problem.”

Trapping primarily for fur continues to have low approval ratings, according to a phone survey of 600 residents of Connecticut, Indiana and Wisconsin, yet trapping for ecological, damage control or food purposes was over 50% and as high as 90%. The findings suggest that public support may depend on how trapping is framed, reinforcing arguments that voters and shoppers should understand the different purposes trapping serves before broad restrictions are presented.

“The public deserves an honest opportunity to make an informed decision,” Peek said.

Wildlife biologists argue that this distinction is often lost in public conversations surrounding fur. While the debate frequently centers on whether people should wear fur, many of the animals are being trapped and killed regardless of whether the pelt is sold or not. Some feel that it is best to make the most of the animals that are going to be killed. Simply killing an animal for a conflict with humans and discarding it doesn’t increase their value, and some perceive it as decreasing wildlife to pest status.

For wildlife professionals, the conversation is ultimately about balancing conservation with practical management. As legislation, marketplace policies and public opinion continue to evolve, the future of trapping will likely be shaped by more than science alone. The challenge is ensuring that decisions about fur and trapping are informed by scientific evidence that ensures sound wildlife management and policy.

The Wildlife Society recognizes that regulated trapping can be an effective and ecologically sound practice of selectively taking furbearers. Lethal and non-lethal trapping is a key technique used in wildlife research and management. Read more about TWS’s position here.

This year the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa was the venue for the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC). June 18-19 were reserved for the meeting proper, while preceding days were allocated to three committees: the Canadian Furbearer Management Committee (CFMC), the FIC's Trap Research & Development Committee (TRDC), and the FIC Communications Committee.

The CFMC consists of government wildlife managers, and focuses on provincial / territorial collaboration among regulators and trapping associations. The TRDC, a committee of the FIC, focuses on the latest developments in humane trapping, and the Communications Committee guides the FIC’s public engagement.

"All these committees play essential roles in guiding the work of the FIC," said Executive Director Doug Chiasson, "and it was great to have so many representatives here in Ottawa."

River Cruise

As a social activity, the evening of June 18 was given over to a dinner cruise on the Rideau Canal, an important trade route for fur along the Ottawa River in the 19th century.

With delegates to the FIC's AGMs coming from across Canada, they rarely get the chance to meet face to face, so such activities are important opportunities to connect outside of the formal meetings on the agenda.

Banquet and Awards

Following the conclusion of the AGM, on the evening of June 19 the FIC hosted a banquet and award ceremony.

The keynote speech was given by Liberal MP for South Surrey-White Rock and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Ernie Klassen. Ernie is a newcomer to the world of politics, elected for the first time in 2025, but he's a fast learner, having attended the FIC’s Fur Day on the Hill earlier this year as well. "I have learned so much about this industry," he said, "and I take my hat off to all the volunteers and people within this industry who ... contribute to the economy of Canada."

Also there to address the gathering was Billy Denault, MPP for Renfrew-Nippissing-Pembroke, speaking on behalf of Ontario Minister of Natural Resources Mike Harris Jr..

For the presentation of awards, FIC's First Vice-Chair, Mike O'Brien, assumed the role of master of ceremonies.

First, Mike awarded and accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of his old friend, Paul Tufts, who passed away in August 2025. Paul was an avid trapper, educator, and part-time fox farmer, who worked as a government wildlife biologist from 1967 until his retirement in 1994. He served on the Board of the Trappers Association of Nova Scotia from 1973 to 2008 (including a decade as its president), and also on the Board of the FIC.

Next, Pierre Canac-Marquis, Trap Research and Certification Coordinator for the FIC, presented and received the Neal Jotham Award on behalf of Guy Sauvageau. First given in 2014, the award recognises Neal Jotham's leadership in the creation of an international standard for humane trapping systems, and his contributions to improved animal welfare.

SEE ALSO: RIP Neal Jotham: A life dedicated to humane trapping. Truth About Fur, February 2023.

A native of Quebec, Guy was responsible in the 1970s for making the world's first commercial killing trap that could be considered humane by modern standards. With such features as tight-closing jaws and a strong, oversized spring for clamping force, refined versions of the Sauvageau C120 Magnum are still used today for marten, mink, and other furbearers. This was "a major accomplishment," said Pierre. "We went from the Stone Age to the Modern Age because of this trap."

Then Trevor Wilkie, of the Trappers Association of Nova Scotia, presented this year's Lloyd Cook Award. Inaugurated in 1991, this award honours Lloyd Cook's commitment to excellence in trapping, trapper education and public understanding of wildlife management.

Winner of this year's award was Mike Boudreau, a wildlife manager with Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources from 1989 until his retirement in 2022. Mike started as an assistant conservation officer, then became a furbearer and upland game specialist, and finally transitioned into a human-wildlife conflict biologist. During all this time, he's been "a huge supporter" of trappers, said Trevor. "He's been a tremendous resource for our association, members of the province in general, and still to this day we constantly call him and ask for advice."

Next, Howard Noseworthy of Fur Harvesters Auction named David Bosma as the recipient of this year's Jim Bourque Memorial Award, David having passed away in May 2025. The award, presented since 1997, recognises its namesake's commitment to the sustainable use of wildlife resources, improved animal welfare, the development of Canada’s modern fur trade, the recognition of Indigenous People’s cultures and the stewardship role that trappers play in the conservation and management of Canada’s wildlife.

David joined the fur trade as a teenager with the Hudson's Bay auction house, before moving on to the Ontario Trappers Association and the Seattle Fur Exchange, and ending his long career at FHA. As FHA's CEO Mark Downey said in an obituary, "Dave’s true claim to fame as a LIFER in this fur trade was his vast knowledge and versatility in being able to confidently grade any and all species exceptionally well."

Last but not least, Howard also presented this year's North American Furbearer Conservation Award, to promote awareness and recognition of individuals and organizations that have made significant efforts for sustainable furbearer management. This year's winner was Ontario native and former FIC chair, Robin Horwath.

Robin has a long track record of dedication to trapping and furbearer management, but Howard chose to highlight Robin's constant "search for the truth". And the memory that "strikes closest to my heart" is the case of the so-called "Algonquin wolf". Robin "was never willing to accept that a wolf that didn't at least live on an island, could somehow be completely separated from all the other wolves that surrounded it." (If you're unfamiliar with this case, Robin spells it out in the blog post below.)

SEE ALSO: Are researchers just looking for more Algonquin wolves? If so, why? Truth About Fur, October 2021.

Our Sponsors

The FIC would like to thank all the sponsors who were essential in supporting the AGM: our host sponsor, the Government of Ontario; our silver (wolf) sponsor, Sizzle with Decor, and our two award sponsors, Fur Harvesters Auction and the Saskatchewan Trappers Association.

In early June, the Canadian Wildlife Conservation Partners (CWCP) held its first in-person meeting, in Ottawa, to discuss the new consortium's rapid growth, and how it plans to be a powerful advocate for hunters and trappers.

The CWCP was launched on September 20 last year – a day which, not coincidentally, was also National Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Heritage Day. Four organizations were responsible for its founding: the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC), Delta Waterfowl, Safari Club International-Canada, and the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia.

All organizations participating in the CWCP share the goals of wanting to conserve wildlife and their habitats through science-based management, safeguarding biodiversity, and defending the rights and traditions of Canada's hunters, trappers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Its guiding principles and rules of engagement respect the autonomy of each organization while coordinating advocacy efforts on issues of national and provincial importance.

Chairing the Steering Committee is Chris Everett, Chapter/Advocacy Services Specialist-Canada for Safari Club International-Canada. Assisting her as vice-chair is Brian McCrae, Director of Government Affairs-Canada for Delta Waterfowl, joined by Kyle Stelter, CEO of the Wild Sheep Society, and Doug Chiasson, Executive Director of the FIC.

Growing Participation

In just nine months, membership has grown from these four founding organizations to 24 partners and five affiliates today (see below). Not only are they spread across the land, they are also diverse, including trapping and hunting organizations, outfitters, and wildlife federations.

“The need for outdoors advocacy organizations to band together to stand up for our outdoors heritage is bigger than ever," says Chris Everett. "I’m proud to be part of a team that is turning ideas and words into action. The CWCP collectively represents over 1 million Canadians, and will continue to encourage governments to ensure conservation of wildlife and respect for our heritage activities is top of mind when making policy decisions.”

Brian McRae is totally on-board. “Delta Waterfowl is proud to be one of the founding members of the CWCP, uniting hunting, trapping and conservation organizations from coast to coast to coast," he says. "Through collaboration, the CWCP will continue to engage with our governments on topics of provincial and national importance to ensure the voices of our communities are heard as it relates to our outdoor heritage activities.”

Kyle Stelter is also committed. “As a founding member of the CWCP, the Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia is proud to stand alongside like-minded organizations from across the country," says Kyle. "CWCP, as Canada’s largest conservation collaborative, works to advance science-based wildlife conservation, protect our outdoor heritage, and develop practical solutions for habitat, hunting, trapping, and the outdoor community."

And Doug Chiasson is a firm believer. "The CWCP is an exciting forum through which organizations from across the sustainable use space in Canada will be able to collaborate and cooperate," he says. "By working together, I think we can really start to finally make sure that hunting, trapping and sustainable use of wildlife issues punch through to the forefront for federal and provincial decision-makers, instead of being stuck on the edge of someone’s desk."

Current Members

Partner organizations are cordially invited to join the CWCP, providing only that they share its values. Following are its current partners and associates. If your organization is not among them, now is the time to join!

Partners: Alberta Professional Outfitters Society; Alberta Trappers Association; BC Trappers Association; BC Wildlife Federation; Big Game Records Club of British Columbia; Canadian Wild Turkey Federation; Delta Waterfowl; Fur Institute of Canada; Grand Slam Club Ovis Canada; Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia; Hunters for BC; Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association; Manitoba Wildlife Federation; Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association; North American Falconers Association; Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters Association; Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen's Alliance; Québec Outfitters Federation; SCI – Canada; The Veteran Hunters; Trappers Association of Nova Scotia; United Guides and Outfitters of New Brunswick; University of Victoria Fish and Game Club; and Wild Sheep Society of British Columbia.

Affiliates: Born To Hunt, It's a Lifestyle; Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights; Canadian Federation of Outfitters Association; Canada in the Rough; and Wild Origins Canada.

A month has passed since I sent an open letter to e-commerce company Etsy, on behalf of the Fur Institute of Canada, urging it to reconsider a promised ban on the selling of fur products. So far I’ve not heard back, and as far as I know, neither have other concerned parties that sent similar letters, so any reply now seems unlikely.

On April 2 of this year, Etsy announced that a revised animal product policy would go into effect on August 11, banning sales of items containing “fur from animals killed primarily for their pelts, regardless of age or origin.” In an email it sent to sellers, Etsy called the move part of “ongoing biodiversity efforts".

Of course, seasoned observers of the fur trade knew that Etsy's move had nothing to do with biodiversity, and everything to do with placating an anti-fur group that had been harassing it. Many retailers, designers and even governments have already folded in the face of harassment and intimidation, and e-commerce companies are the next target.

Etsy, however, is something of a special case, and its departure from the fur scene will leave some empty shoes that are hard to fill.

Vague Animal Product Policy

But before we delve into what makes Etsy special, consider what it has in common with many retailers that have bowed to the anti-fur lobby: Its "animal product policy" is intentionally vague and self-serving.

For such a policy to sound convincing, the company must first appear to take wildlife conservation seriously. This Etsy achieves by citing the US Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as its basis for banning trade in species that are recognised by conservation authorities as “endangered” or “threatened”. (The fact that trade in these species is already strictly controlled is irrelevant.)

Etsy then creates the illusion of taking conservation still more seriously by augmenting its list with species of its own, including all bears, crocodilians, seals, wolves, etc., and concludes with “certain additional at-risk animals”. This closing rider provides the wiggle room needed to, effectively, ban trade in any species it chooses. Of course, banning trade in plentiful species and vintage furs has nothing to do with biodiversity, but Etsy's lawyers can easily skirt this by applying their own definition to "at risk". At risk of what?

And in case you think Etsy's competitors are any better, think again.

EBay, for example, bans listings of all species of bats, bears, marine mammals and migratory birds, while Meta (Facebook and Instagram) bans the sale of “animal parts” from any species, with no reference to their conservation status.

Global Biodiversity Framework

There is even an ultimate authority on biodiversity that Etsy et al. could follow, but choose not to.

In 2022, parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), an ambitious plan aimed at achieving a world living in harmony with nature. This framework sets four Goals for 2050, and 23 Targets for 2030.

Goal B begins: "Biodiversity is sustainably used and managed and nature's contributions to people, including ecosystem functions and services, are valued, maintained and enhanced." Inherent in this Goal is the humane and ethical use of plentiful furbearers.

Likewise Target 5 reads: "Ensure that the use, harvesting and trade of wild species is sustainable, safe and legal, preventing overexploitation, minimizing impacts on non-target species and ecosystems, and reducing the risk of pathogen spillover, applying the ecosystem approach, while respecting and protecting customary sustainable use by indigenous peoples and local communities.”

It's possible that Etsy is familiar with the GBF and disagrees with it, but we all know that's not actually the case. Etsy has simply decided that it is better to placate a vocal minority of anti-fur cranks instead of supporting its vendors who use fur.

SEE ALSO: Positive language for trappers, sealers in latest biodiversity targets. Truth About Fur, January 2023.

Market Niche

So given that Etsy’s vague animal product policy is part of an unfortunately common trend, what makes its decision to ban fur special? The answer is its market niche.

All retailers strive to develop a market niche, and Etsy's is small-scale crafters and artisans.

As chance would have it, many of Etsy's sellers live in remote, rural areas, and include Indigenous Canadian communities whose cultures and economies are inextricably tied to the harvesting of wild furbearers. If anyone stands to lose from Etsy's new anti-fur policy, it is these people.

Ironically, crafters and artisans in these communities are also on the frontline of conservation, playing a key role in protecting the very biodiversity Etsy says is its motivation.

Silver Lining

However, if history is any guide, there will be a silver lining to this cloud.

About a decade ago, both Etsy and Facebook banned the selling of seal products, providing the catalyst for us at the FIC to launch two online stores to fill the gap: Canadian Seal Products and Proudly Indigenous Crafts and Designs. Now is the time for people who work with fur to follow suit.

Make no mistake, whatever route they take won't be easy. They already have a lot of hoops to jump through, and Etsy's departure from fur just adds another. So in the short term at least, they may just switch to another existing e-commerce platform and hope it doesn't draw the attention of the anti-fur lobby. Or if they have the skills, time and money to spare, they may start selling their wares via their own personal websites, as some are already doing.

But the free marketplace is also providing an opportunity for new platforms to emerge – "Etsy Mark 2s" if you will. It may sound like wishful thinking, but it's already happening here and here!

SEE ALSO: Truth About Fur podcast, May 8, 2026. Among other subjects, Mark Hall and Doug Chiasson discuss Etsy’s sudden decision to ban fur.

Over the last couple of months, I needed care in our local hospital in Fraser Valley, British Columbia, for a medical issue. (A big rave to the healthcare system and the great care I received!) While waiting during one of my visits, I was sitting close to a sign recognizing the contributors to a recent update to the hospital. All the donors were recognized, and I was a little surprised to see a local fur farm listed. There was also a local resident’s name that is also likely that of a family connected to the mink-farming community.

I was not surprised that they had donated. But I was surprised that they had chosen to be listed as donors.

You see, as a trapper, I have always felt that fur farming was important. The market for farmed fur has a major impact on the value we see for wild fur. So I've made a point of getting to know some of the local fur farmers and I've been impressed. They are multi-generational and very passionate. It felt like the list of donors was just that – people with close ties to the local community, and a long or rich history in the community. In short, they care about and support important projects.

But in 2021, the BC government decided to phase out all mink farms in the province, calling them a public health risk.

I do not have to ask to realize that support for the community from these farms has now gone. Farmers no longer have the capacity, the will or the desire to make donations. Despite being in an industry with a huge target on them, they had donated and also chosen to be recognized for that. Community pride at its best!

Yet it was the same world of charitable donations that eventually brought down BC's fur farms, and I find that sad.

Immoral Use of Charitable Donations

The two groups responsible for pressuring the government to end fur farming in BC were The Fur-Bearers and the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, both of which use the same model to solicit donations. They then used these donations to fight and shut the industry down.

It feels immoral to me that an organization can be allowed to fundraise as a charitable entity and then use those funds to fight and shut down a legal industry.

Further, it was done without fair and equitable treatment or compensation to the fur farmers, despite their years of local community support. Rather, an industry has gone because of the louder voices of a minority.

SEE ALSO:

BC Mink Farm Ban: Government must compensate shuttered farms. Truth About Fur, September 2024.

BC Mink Farming Ban: Government refuses compensation for devastated families. Truth About Fur, February 2022.

Canadian mink farmers will fight arbitrary ban by BC government. Truth About Fur, November 2021.

Also lost is the spin-off support farms gave to other local businesses in the community – the tractors and feed they bought, the staff they hired, the taxes they paid, and the stores they supported for so many years.

My moral compass feels charitable status should be reserved for a better society, not pushing the ideologies of a minority onto society.

I am proud to be Canadian, and proud also of our right to choose. If you do not wish to wear fur, that is your choice. I respect that, in the same way I respect the right of those who choose a vegan diet, wish to hunt, or wish to be a farmer, or identify as LGBTQ.

SEE ALSO: British Columbia Trappers Association marks 75 years in harmony with nature. Truth About Fur, 2020.

Smoke and Mirrors

The smoke and mirrors used by the government to depict our mink farms as a public health risk were insane.

Every industry comes with some risks to society, including all types of farming. For example, we have bird flu, mad cow disease, and swine fever. But we manage the risks.

Mink farms had the ability to manage the risk, including a new vaccine developed in the US specifically for Covid-19 – an option not available for all diseases. Meanwhile, of course, human populations were receiving their own vaccines. This combination was apparently acceptable to all, except of course for the BC government!

Leading the way for Canada's mink farmers was the government of Nova Scotia, which even offered to subsidize the cost of vaccinating mink against Covid-19. The only difference I could see between Nova Scotia's decision-makers and those in BC was that the former were doing their jobs, while the latter allowed themselves to be influenced by a vocal minority group.

I will continue to fight for the right to trap, hunt and fish, following in the footsteps of our forefathers that built the great nation we call Canada. I will also continue to defend our freedom to choose, and that includes our right to choose where to donate our hard-earned dollars. Hopefully my friends, family and colleagues will also take an extra minute the next time they donate funds, to review the options and pick a true charity dear to their heart.

Award-winning journalist David Pugliese recently reported that 30 soldiers from Canada's Armed Forces – the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment (3RCR) – suffered severe frostbite while participating in a near-Arctic training exercise at the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center near Fairbanks, Alaska.

Too many Canadians forget that our nation is fundamentally an Arctic one. Vast expanses of Arctic territory, stretching from the Yukon North Slope in the West to Labrador in the East, and the entire Arctic Archipelago, make up a major part of Canadian geography and heritage. These unforgiving landscapes have been the home to various First Nations and Inuit communities for thousands of years.

Because of this experience, it stands to reason that the people in these communities know a thing or two about survival in Arctic climates. Using natural resources and materials found in the Arctic, Indigenous Peoples have relied on sealskin, caribou hide, beaver fur, and other hide and fur products to keep warm.

SEE ALSO: Amazing facts about fur: Dressing for the Arctic. Truth About Fur.

In 2022 and 2023, the National Research Council put this to the test in a series of studies designed to test Indigenous-made garments directly against the predictable issue of extreme cold. Deployed out of interest for the Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian Coast Guard, and Parks Canada, these studies measured the “clo value” – a unit used to measure the thermal insulation properties of clothing, indicating how much heat a garment retains. The higher the clo value, the warmer the garment.

According to Evaluation of Canadian Armed Forces cold weather clothing with supplemental Indigenous clothing, apparel and gear that incorporated Indigenous-made garments had higher standardized total insulation values compared to base ones that did not use them.

Another paper published at the same time, Thermal evaluation of Government of Canada cold weather clothing and Indigenous garments, affirms that apparel or gear composed entirely of Indigenous-made garments had the highest measured clo value out of all those tested, which would allow a physically active person to remain warm in -60.0°C air.

Superior Option

Conducted with complete transparency by our Federal Government, these studies were published in 2022. Therefore, hundreds if not thousands of Canadian observers and certainly relevant members of the Canadian Armed Forces knew that Indigenous-made fur and sealskin garments are the superior option to keep the men and women who serve our country safe in extreme cold weather environments.

SEE ALSO: Why fur trim keeps us warm. Truth About Fur.

Though the exact details of what happened during this recent exercise are not known, it is clear that the equipment provided to the members of 3RCR was not sufficient. We know that equipment made from fur or sealskin would have protected them better than what they had, and likely would have helped some of the injured soldiers.

In an increasingly uncertain time, with more than a few countries posturing for Arctic expansion, it is high time to return to outfitting our soldiers with the equipment they need to be safe. On this point, both traditional knowledge and leading-edge scientific research agree: natural fur is the right choice.

You may recall that Coloradans recently defeated an anti-fur ballot initiative, and probably assume that the state is safe for now. But your assumption would be wrong. Now opponents of fur are looking to introduce a statewide ban on the sale of all wild fur – something they've not tried in the past.

As recently as November 2024, Coloradans chalked up a major pro-fur win when they defeated ballot initiative 308, 58% to 42%, that would have banned the sale of all fur products in Denver. Leading the charge against the proposed ordinance was Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management (CRWM).

That battle, which garnered a lot of news coverage, especially for the slogan "Hands off our hats", sent a clear message that most Coloradans would not stand for animal rights groups telling them what they could and couldn't trade. But perhaps the message was not clear enough. Now a petition from the anti-fur Center for Biological Diversity has accused the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission (CPWC) of violating sound conservation practices, with the aim of forcing a statewide ban on all trade in wild fur.

Attacking Wild Fur

As Executive Director of the Fur Institute of Canada (FIC), I frequently attend meetings, auctions, trade shows and the like, across Canada and around the world, where fur is the number one topic of conversation. But at many of these events, I am also in a minority. Why? Because our organization represents the interests of all kinds of fur, including wild fur.

Much of the global fur trade deals only with ranch fur. Many designers and manufacturers, for example, are concerned above all with the different colour phases of ranch foxes and mink, but have no interest in where or when the best coyotes are harvested. (This reality is also why fur ranchers attract so much attention from anti-fur activists.)

When combined with the strong and easily understood arguments in favour of regulated trapping, this explains why many folk assume wild fur is comparatively “safe”. Trapping plays a key role in wildlife management, it's an important part of livelihoods for Indigenous communities, and its heritage underpins so much of our shared history across North America.

But that idea is now being challenged in Colorado. If successful, the anti-fur lobby will use the CPWC to introduce a statewide ban on the sale, trade and bartering of all wild fur.

SEE ALSO: Reasons we trap. Truth About Fur.

Different Approach

Over the last 40 years or so, trappers have grown used to attacks that focus on the welfare of individual animals caught in traps, but this time things are different.

This time, the aim of the anti-fur lobby is not to attack wild fur for how it's harvested, but rather to claim that the mere act of trapping violates the North American Model of Conservation, as spelled out by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

When the CPWC meets next on March 4–5, it will discuss a proposal from the Center for Biological Diversity that says the state's current science-driven regulations are not fit for purpose, and that there needs to be a statewide commercial ban on wild fur.

As a community, we must stand together against efforts to restrict, reduce or eliminate the fur trade. That includes trappers, hunters, farmers, ranchers, First Nations, rural landowners, fur buyers, manufacturers, retailers, designers and artisans, from all parts of North America. Everyone who enjoys our world-class garments and accessories needs to be heard.

Both the FIC and the CRWM firmly believe that by standing together, we can be far more than the sum of our parts. Now is the time for all of us to support efforts to keep commercial fur trapping alive in Colorado. And that is why the FIC will be joining CRWM in Denver next week, giving voice to all Canadians who support science-based, well-regulated wildlife management.

ESSENTIAL READING:

Follow this link for:

• the Citizen Petition Form "Prohibiting the sale of furbearer furs with exemptions", June 16, 2025;
• "Petition to amend 2 CCR 406-018 to prohibit the commercial sale of wildlife fur in Colorado", submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, June 16, 2025; and
• the recommendation to deny the above petition submitted by the Division of Parks and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources, February 19, 2026.

On February 3, the Fur Institute of Canada visited Ottawa for Fur Day on the Hill 2026 to meet and greet the nation's political leaders. Joining us were members of the FIC Board, Canada Mink Breeders Association, the Cree Trappers' Association, Écofaune Boréale, Ontario Fur Managers Federation and Saga Furs. Ably supporting them all were our friends at Summa Strategies and Torchia Communications.

During this day-long event, we met with Members of Parliament, Senators, representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministers, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, covering a diverse range of topics. These included maintaining Canada's position as a world leader in the fur trade by fighting trade bans and promoting fur and seal products, and ensuring our men and women in uniform are prepared for operating in the extreme weather of the Arctic environment by outfitting them with personal protective equipment made from fur instead of inferior synthetic materials.

In the evening, we hosted a cocktail reception for Parliamentarians and colleagues, that doubled as a showcase for furs from FIC members International Fur Dressers & Dyers and Écofaune Boréale. The chilly weather also gave everyone a perfect opportunity to show the Hill a wide array of their own furs.

Building relations with politicians is a key part of FIC’s mandate as advocates of the fur trade, and this makes Fur Day on the Hill an important event on our calendar. It helps us cement alliances with federal representatives of all political stripes, while familiarizing them with issues that affect our trade.

SEE ALSO:

Fur Day on the Hill 2024: Fur Institute Strengthens Political Ties. Truth About Fur, March 10, 2024.

Fur Day on the Hill: Fur Institute welcomes friends in Ottawa. Truth About Fur, May 1, 2023.