Canada Goose is slowly driving me off this planet. All I see now are jackets with dog fur wrapped around the hood. They're literally everywhere. And what really has put me over the edge is that no one really understands what they're wearing.
I've heard people say "No, mine is not real fur" or "I'd never wear real fur" or "They just use fur from animals that die naturally" or "They are harvested ethically by first nations trappers so it's ok".
It takes about one entire dog to make a fur trim for a Goose coat. By dog I mean coyote but trappers call them dogs. So it's a dog skin that is wrapped around the hoods of Canada Goose coats. We sell about 50k dogs a year in Alberta, most of them to Canada Goose. The market exists as it does now simply because of Canada Goose. However to get one dog to auction, usually three other dogs have been trapped but deemed unfit for fur use. Ravens eat several dogs before trappers get to them. Most dogs have poor quality fur, mites, mange, woolly or patchy pelts. If they freeze to the ground the fur won't be usable. There are several more dogs that are not processed properly and don't make it to auction. So it takes a lot to get the fur on the hood.
Most dogs are snared. Snares are not considered commercial traps because you can make them at home. They're cheap, effective and popular. And so they are not included by law as an ethical trap. But they are still allowed. In fact snares are proven to be absolutely anything but ethical. It takes days or weeks for a dog to die in a snare. So when Canada Goose says they only get furs from ethical trapping practices they are not lying according to law, but they are also not telling the truth according to reality.
This video was made last week from a spot about an our and a half from Calgary. A place I know well...I can't embed it but here's the link...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIwOGT7Vjf8&t=48s
...or here if it doesn't work...
https://dailyhive.com/calgary/snare-trap-ban-dog-killed
I've heard an argument for predator control. That doesn't make sense to me. There are better ways to control predators if that is indeed a concern. However it's not. Predators control themselves very well. But even so, what trappers are doing is essentially drag netting the land. They kill as many wolves, lynx, fox, wolverines as they can. They kills birds, deer, rabbits, pets...basically everything that walks gets snagged in traps. That's just stupid as a means of predator control.
There's also no financial argument to be made here. Dogs get about 70 bucks at auction. Wolves about 200. Lynx and wolverines up to 500. A trap line sells for up to 100k. Trappers build cabins. They own and operate trucks, trailers, snow machines and travel hundreds of kms a day during the season. To be sure it's an expensive hobby and a way to get access to a cabin on public land for 6 months a year. You'd be lucky to cover operating costs much less roi or capital return.
Laws and rules in Alberta are really lacking in this area. Alberta produces public information for just about everything. however when you look at all the info on line, there is nothing about trapping because it's included as hunting. So if there's hunting, there's trapping. Even though they occur at different times of the year, in different locations with different dangers, they are they same in the eyes of the province. There are no signs required to warn people. They only law is it has to be 200 meters from a house. That's not good enough.
BC has banned several kinds of traps. Manitoba has banned trapping in areas frequented by people. California is banning all trapping now. Trapping is an anachronism that requires tortured logic to validate. I've heard so many times that trappers respect and love the animals and are carrying on a service for the public for free. It's all nonsense. Hanging animals from trees for days on end, skinning them and throwing their bodies away is the opposite of respect. It's psychotic.
Honestly I mean no judgment if you're into wearing furs. It's not my thing but that doesn't mean it can't be yours. If anyone wants, here's a great letter you can sign on to that goes to dozens of politicians...
https://thefurbearers.com/blog/actio...-snares-canada
Thanks for the rant. Hoping it helps me stay on this planet.