In A Highly Regulated Furrier Industry - What Is The Source Of Wolf And Bear Pelts?

Throughout much of the world, there are very
strict laws governing the sale and trade of real
animal fur, such as those used in real fur rugs.
These laws were created and enacted for the most
part to protect dwindling populations of certain
wild species, and to make the farming of fur
animals more cruelty free in practice. In the
former case, there are exceptions, as the pelts
of otherwise protected wild animals such as
wolves and bears, can still be harvested in
certain situations. While this practice may
understandably create controversy in some
circles, the logic behind these exceptions makes
a certain kind of sense if studied further.

The basic philosophy behind the exceptions for
these animals is to avoid unnecessary waste.
Whether conservationists like it or not, there
are cases in which bears and wolves are
occasionally destroyed to protect human lives
and livelihoods. If one of these animals, for
instance, has previously attacked or killed a
person, or if it habitually stays around human
habitats as opposed to its natural environment,
these animals may be culled to protect human
lives. In other cases, some predatory animals
may demonstrate a preference for killing
livestock rather than their natural prey; the
end result is all too often that these animals
can legally be removed. In most of these
instances we are referring to either bears or
wolves, though of course, we do hear of the odd
mountain lion attack on humans as well.

Unfortunately, it does happen that protected
animals are caught in legal traps or are
otherwise injured and when found either dead or
too injured to survive, it is only logical that
furriers be able to make use of the animal's fur
rather than leaving it to rot in a landfill.
Furriers make good use of the furs that are
culled in this way, and their wares, such as fur
rugs, are popular.

Of course, furs that are culled in these cases
are strictly regulated and overseen by an
international inter-government treaty known as
CITES (Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species). Created in 1963 and signed
and enforced by 175 nations, CITES documents
every single pelt from an endangered species,
how and why it was harvested, and what it was
ultimately used for. All furriers must have
CITES certificates indicating that these skins
are legally obtained, and can be legally traded
or sold. In most countries, regardless of where
the fur product originated, import certificates
are required, in addition to export
certificates.

The US Endangered Species Act also provides
regulation and levies serious fines for
possession or trade of these furs when there is
no proof that they were legally obtained. The
fines are prohibitive, and do a great job of
either driving disreputable furriers out of
business, or keeping them out of the fur world
to begin with. Reputable furriers deal only in
pelts that are registered and that come with
certificates, and take great care in making
beautiful products with these furs to preserve
these animals.

In order to avoid consequences such as
confiscation of a treasured possession and/or a
hefty fine, consumers should always opt to
purchase fur products made from endangered
species from a good furrier, and make sure to
get all the documentation proving the origin of
the pelt that was used.

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Author Stephen Daniels recommends
http://www.trailsidetraditions.com/ to anyone
seeking high quality real fur rugs and more. The
owner of Trailside Traditions has been in this
business for more than 20 years, and takes pride
in the quality of the fur pelts he uses and gets
from his eco-responsible suppliers to create
beautiful genuine fur products for his
customers. His fur products have been ranked in
the top 10% of all sold in the US.

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