Rayfish Shoes: Don't Kill Stingrays For Shoes!

The Issue

I love shoes. I mean who doesn't? However, I like the compassionate type of shoe... You know the one that doesn't involve dead animals.

Rayfish Shoes is claiming to raise genetically engineered Stingrays and then killing them for their skin for so called fashion. They are using DNA from other species to change the skin pattern and tones of the Stingrays. The company says that they are raising the rays humanely. However, there is nothing humane about genetically altering a living creature and killing them for their skin to put on shoes. Also, the living conditions for these creatures are more than likely the same as animals on fur farms. Cramped, dirty, and barely any room to move around.

Source: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/06/01/new-company-rayfish-farms-stingrays-to-skin-for-shoes/

Is this real or some weird gimmick? People do make leather from stingrays, so I'm not 100% sure, but if it's true we need to stop this.

Stingrays can suffer and feel pain when kept in captivity and slaughtered for tacky luxury shoes. Please sign if you agree that this company, Rayfish sales, should find an ethical, creative, cruelty-free way to make shoes!

avatar of the starter
Robin MerrittPetition Starter
Media inquiries
This petition had 817 supporters

The Issue

I love shoes. I mean who doesn't? However, I like the compassionate type of shoe... You know the one that doesn't involve dead animals.

Rayfish Shoes is claiming to raise genetically engineered Stingrays and then killing them for their skin for so called fashion. They are using DNA from other species to change the skin pattern and tones of the Stingrays. The company says that they are raising the rays humanely. However, there is nothing humane about genetically altering a living creature and killing them for their skin to put on shoes. Also, the living conditions for these creatures are more than likely the same as animals on fur farms. Cramped, dirty, and barely any room to move around.

Source: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2012/06/01/new-company-rayfish-farms-stingrays-to-skin-for-shoes/

Is this real or some weird gimmick? People do make leather from stingrays, so I'm not 100% sure, but if it's true we need to stop this.

Stingrays can suffer and feel pain when kept in captivity and slaughtered for tacky luxury shoes. Please sign if you agree that this company, Rayfish sales, should find an ethical, creative, cruelty-free way to make shoes!

avatar of the starter
Robin MerrittPetition Starter
Media inquiries

The Decision Makers

Rayfish Sales
Rayfish Sales
Responded
“Over the last few days, Rayfish Footwear has received hundreds of comments about our product. I would like to take this opportunity to address some common misconceptions about our company and the way we produce our stingrays. It seems many people are unfamiliar with the use of stingray leather in fashion, which is a relatively common application. Rayfish Footwear shoes come from stingrays raised for leather - as does any leather from cows, pigs, alligators, ostriches and so on. Regarding the bio-customization of our rays, this process is essentially no different than what humans have been doing for centuries. Domestic animals, from dogs to chickens, are bred solely for human enjoyment and use. It is no more unnatural to have a transgenic stingray than it is, for instance, to have bulldogs with such large heads that they cannot give birth, or turkeys with such large breasts that they cannot mate. From farmed salmon to corn and soy, genetically modified organisms are already very common in scientific research and agriculture. Some, like the transgenic pet Glofish, have been widely available to the public for quite some time. Of course, we can understand that our practices would be objectionable from a purely vegan perspective. In any other context, we are puzzled by criticisms from people who otherwise eat meat, dairy or eggs, or who wear wool or leather. Rayfish Footwear opposes the harvesting of rays from the wild and is dedicated to ocean preservation. The stingrays’ meat does not go to waste, but is donated to our employees and local charities. Some have commented on the high price of our sneakers – part of the reason for this price is so that we can ensure that our rays live in comfortable conditions. Our stingrays lead objectively better lives than any food animal raised in a “factory farm”. In fact, anyone who is concerned about animal welfare should consider Rayfish Footwear sneakers as a humane alternative to industrially-produced cow leather. We continue to welcome your comments, and hope that the tone of the conversation will remain civilized. We would be delighted to reach out to the aforementioned "oceanic conservancy organizations" to have a productive dialogue. ”
Rayfish PR
Rayfish PR
Responded
“Over the last few days, Rayfish Footwear has received hundreds of comments about our product – some excited, some upset. I would like to take this opportunity to address some common misconceptions about our company and the way we produce our stingrays. It seems many people are unfamiliar with the use of stingray leather in fashion, which is a relatively common application. Rayfish Footwear shoes come from stingrays raised for leather – as does any leather from cows, pigs, alligators, ostriches and so on.  Regarding the bio-customization of our rays, this process is essentially no different than what humans have been doing for centuries. Domestic animals, from dogs to chickens, are bred solely for human enjoyment and use. It is no more unnatural to have a transgenic stingray than it is, for instance, to have bulldogs with such large heads that they cannot give birth, or turkeys with such large breasts that they cannot mate. From farmed salmon to corn and soy, genetically modified organisms are already very common in scientific research and agriculture. Some, like the transgenic pet Glofish, have been widely available to the public for quite some time. Of course, we can understand that our practices would be objectionable from a purely vegan perspective. In any other context, we are puzzled by criticisms from people who otherwise eat meat, dairy or eggs, or who wear wool or leather. Rayfish Footwear opposes the harvesting of rays from the wild and is dedicated to ocean preservation. The stingrays’ meat does not go to waste, but is donated to our employees and local charities. Some have commented on the high price of our sneakers – part of the reason for this price is so that we can ensure that our rays live in comfortable conditions. Our stingrays lead objectively better lives than any food animal raised in a “factory farm”. In fact, anyone who is concerned about animal welfare should consider Rayfish Footwear sneakers as a humane alternative to industrially-produced cow leather. The varied responses to Rayfish Footwear have given us valuable information on the public perception of our bio-customization technique. We continue to welcome your comments. ”

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Petition created on June 1, 2012