On the Etsy platform, hunters, trappers, fur farmers, and supporters of the fur industry (such as taxidermists) run wild on the etsy platform selling the tanned skins of needlessly killed animals.

In the United States, the go-to trap for trappers is the steel-jaw leghold traps. Steel-jaw leghold traps, body-gripping traps, and wire neck snares are all very inhumane devices. These animals' bones are crushed or often die from blood loss, shock, or dehydration. If nature doesnt take them, they must wait for death which arrives on two legs and is often delivered by bludgeoning. Traps are also often not checked for days, or even weeks. Dogs and cats also frequently get caught in these traps.

On fur farms, animals such as foxes and minks spend their entire lives suffering. In the wild or in sanctuary settings, foxes are incredibly active animals, they are incredibly energetic. They are also naturally diggers. Despite this, foxes on fur farms spend their entire lives in a tiny wire-bottomed cage. Mink are semi-aquatic and also incredibly active. Despite this, mink on fur farms spend their entire lives in a tiny wire-bottomed cage. At the end of their lives, all animals on fur farms regardless of species (fox, mink, or neither) die by gassing or electrocution in order to protect the fur. Fur farms are also harbors for disease, with mink farms infamously being major breeding grounds for covid-19. There is also a major environmental concern that is pollution from animal waste stemming from fur farms.

On rabbit farms, rabbits are kept near identically to how fox and mink are kept on fur farms. Theyre often kept in small wire hutches, fed improper diets, and have little stimulation. Rabbits are incredibly active animals with sensitive digestive systems, they need a lot of space and they need to dig and chew. Rabbits that are kept on small "holistic, family-run homesteads" are kept in conditions that run parallel to the conditions of animals on industrial farms.

Fur in it of itself is problematic. In order to tan a hide, several pollutants are used, such as formaldehyde, chromium, ammonia, chlorine, ethylene glycol, sulfuric acid, and zinc. Real fur has 17% more carbon emmissions than faux fur. Fur farmed coats require 20 times more energy than faux fur ones. While most faux furs are currently made from petrol, faux fur made from plant-based, biodegradable materials are definitely viable in the future. There is already KOBA fur which is already partially plant-based.

We request that the etsy rules be that all real fur based products (such as fur coats and taxidermy) must have been produced prior to the year 2000 and an outright ban of pelts. This includes fur that is "ethically sourced" or obtained from roadkill so there is no loophole that people can lie through.