Latest news with #GrandRiverFurExchange
Daily Mirror
15-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Horrific images from fur farm rescue prove UK import ban desperately needed
More than 330 animals were found on the site of the Grand River Fur Exchange in Ohio which also held captive wolf-dog hybrids, raccoons, skunks and opossums Terrified and starving foxes and coyotes were uncovered on a US fur farm - highlighting the suffering they endure before ending up as a bobble hat or trim on a parka coat. More than 330 animals were found on the site of the Grand River Fur Exchange in Ohio which also held captive wolf-dog hybrids, raccoons, skunks and opossums. Rescuers called it 'the most horrific' conditions they had ever seen. The desperate animals were held in filthy wire-bottom cages, exposed to the freezing conditions. They were being raised and slaughtered for fur fashion, the exotic pet trade and for their urine which is used in hunting, trapping, dog training and wild animal deterrent. Some of the animals were bred in captivity while others were apparently imprisoned on the property after being trapped in excruciatingly painful steel-jaw leghold traps, resulting in devastating industries such as missing limbs and paws. Many animals were emaciated and severely dehydrated, and several were found dead in their cages, covered in snow after the owner had died, escalating an already-dire welfare crisis. Adam Parascandola, vice president of Humane World for Animals' Animal Rescue Team, said: 'This is one of the most horrific situations I have ever seen—the terror and pain was palpable.' Singer Leona Lewis, 40, who is backing the Mirror's Fur Free Britain campaign to stop cruel imports into the UK, said: 'My heart breaks for what these poor animals will have endured on this fur farm, and on every fur farm like it around the world. It's a life of severe suffering and mental anguish, from which typically there is only one end - death for fur fashion.' She added: Thankfully, at this farm my friends at Humane World for Animals were able to step in and save lives, but for hundreds of thousands of animals on fur farms their fate is electrocution, gassing or even being beaten to death. Although we have banned this fur farm cruelty in the UK, we still perpetuate such suffering because we allow fur to be imported and sold in UK shops. "That's why I wholeheartedly support the Fur Free Britain campaign by the Daily Mirror and Humane World for Animals, and want to see Ruth Jones MP's bill to ban fur imports become law. We cannot ignore the suffering of these animals by continuing to trade in cruel fur fashion in the UK." Fur from animals cruelly farmed and trapped in the United States is sold domestically as well as exported around the world to countries including the United Kingdom. Documents found on the property indicate the owner sold fur pelts to Fur Harvesters Auction, the last remaining fur auction house in North America which exports fur globally to be used for home decor and fashion products such as fur bobble hats and trim on gloves or shoes. Despite fur farming being banned across the UK since 2003 for being too cruel, the UK still imports fur from North America, China, Finland and elsewhere in what campaigners at Humane World for Animals say is an unacceptable double standard. A Bill to ban such fur imports and sales, introduced by Labour MP Ruth Jones, is currently awaiting its Second Reading in the House of Commons next month. Afterlife and Downton Abbey star Peter Egan, 78, added: "Every outlet that supports the cruelty and inhumane treatment of these sentient animals by buying the fur, the skin and the lives of such beautiful animals. We ban fur farms in the UK because we know they are cruel. Stop importing cruelty now." Broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher urged the government to 'stop the suffering in the name of vanity and frivolous fashion items that are too cruel to be farmed here.' She added: 'Until we stop the imports, we are compliant in the horrific industry. Come on, the UK make a stance. We don't want any part in this sickening industry anymore.' PJ Smith, director of fashion policy for Humane World for Animals has investigated fur farms around the globe and called it ' just another grim example of what the industry doesn't want you to see.' Animals in the fur trade suffer immensely, both in their daily lives and when they are killed, often with methods like gassing, anal electrocution or clubbing, which result in slow, painful deaths and are commonly used on fur farms because they prevent damage to the pelt. Responders found electrocution tools on the Ohio property. Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane World for Animals UK, said: 'The suffering, terror and pain of the animals on this fur and urine farm made it one of the most horrific situations our rescue team has ever experienced. It's unfathomable that the cruelty of fur farming is legal in the US, and it's shocking to know that fur from animals subjected to such appalling cruelty can be legally imported and sold here in the UK. Ruth Jones' Bill would end this grim trade in line with public opinion, we hope the Government will back the ban.'
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Authorities rescue animals for horrifying conditions at 'hell' farm: 'The suffering found at this farm is not an anomaly'
When authorities and animal rehabilitation groups rescued neglected creatures at Ohio's Grand River Fur Exchange, the case drew national attention and sparked outrage. Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation was one of the groups working to save foxes, coyotes, skunks, pigs, and more from the "hell" of the fur and urine farm, along with the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. Now, the Texas-based organization has released a video series on its website documenting those efforts and educating people on how they can help prevent future cruelty. On its website, WRR explained that it accepted 15 skunks, six coyotes, and six foxes that needed immediate medical care after their captive stay at Grand River Fur Exchange. In addition to breeding animals for their fur and exporting it to global fashion markets, as suggested by documents linking it to Fur Harvesters Auction, the fur exchange sold them as pets and collected their urine for hunting and trapping lures. The U.S. Department of Agriculture fined the business back in 2011 and banned it from selling wild animals. Nonetheless, it continued to operate until December 2024, when the owner died. Sadly, the horrific conditions the animals endured, including malnutrition, electrocution, and confinement to wire cages that wounded them and cut off their limbs, aren't out of the ordinary. "This rescue has provided a rare glimpse inside an industry that operates almost entirely out of public view. The suffering found at this farm is not an anomaly—it is the standard for facilities that engage in this practice," WRR wrote. However, the lives of the rescued animals are now changing for the better thanks to the coordinated efforts of organizations dedicated to protecting vulnerable creatures, whose fate can mean the difference between healthy ecosystems that also support human life and those that collapse. Ways you can help make the world a better place for animals include supporting fur-free fashion brands and not engaging with social media posts featuring wild animals, which can normalize the demand for exotic animals, according to the Humane World for Animals. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. WRR also encouraged people viewing their videos to "check back often" for updates on "how you can be part of the movement to ensure no other animals suffer the same fate." "Amazing work WRR," one commenter wrote on The Boerne Star's coverage of the story. "Thank you for countering the hell on earth that some people create." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
‘Terror and pain was palpable;' Hundreds of animals rescued from Ohio fur farm
Hundreds of animals were rescued from deplorable conditions at a fur and urine farm in Northeast Ohio. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The owner of Grand River Fur Exchange died in late December 2024, escalating an 'already-dire animal welfare crisis' on the property. Foxes, raccoons, wolf-dog hybrids, skunks, opossums, and coyotes were living in filthy wire-bottom cages with little to no protection from the frigid conditions, the Humane Society of the United States said. Some of the animals had missing toes, ears, tails, and limbs. TRENDING STORIES: Recall alert: Lay's potato chip recall upgraded to Class I Mother arrested following search for her and infant son; evidence of physical harm to child found FDA approves Ozempic to reduce risk of kidney disease progression, cardiovascular death Veterinarians said animals lost toes due to cages' wire flooring, while the animals' missing limbs and paws had likely been caught in steel-jaw leghold traps on the property. The animals were being raised and slaughtered for fur, bred for sale as exotic pets, and held captive for urine farming, the humane society said. 'This is one of the most horrific situations I have ever seen—the terror and pain was palpable,' said Adam Parascandola, vice president of the Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team. 'Our team is exposed to immense cruelty in the criminal cases we regularly respond to like dogfighting and severe neglect, yet this stands out both in terms of suffering and because of these fur farming practices. It's haunting.' Due to the circumstances on the property including severe injuries and illness, some of the animals were humanely euthanized on the property during the rescue operation. More than 330 animals rescued from the property were able to be placed with wildlife rehabbers and sanctuaries. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
