DECEMBER 12, 2020 – The new public information film “Hide”, which was released on 11 December, follows three interconnected stories behind a single fur coat from the trapper who catches the fox, to the seamstress who sews the fur coat, to the shopper, played by Suvari, who buys it. The thought-provoking film highlights the cruelty behind the fur trade and the hypocrisy of loving some furry animals while supporting the suffering of others.

“I am honored to have been a part of this PSA in working with the Fur Free Alliance,” said Mena Suvari. “I have always felt so strongly about the need to bring more awareness into what we choose to wear and consider “fashionable”. There is no need to wear animals, especially fur, and so I am truly grateful to be part of this project that helps conveys such a powerful message showcasing how the fur industry negatively affects so many.”

Mena Suvari adopted a plant-based diet in early 2018, and soon after, got rid of all her animal-based wardrobe and started anew cruelty-free.

Suvari and filmmaker Dustin Brown partnered with the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition of 40+ animal protection organisations working together to end the animal cruelty in the fur industry. “Hide” is a follow-up to Brown’s 2019 viral hit “Casa de Carne” which highlighted issues of animal suffering in food production and won multiple awards.

“It was an incredible experience working with Mena Suvari and the Fur Free Alliance,” said Brown. “I am grateful for the opportunity to tell a story about the inherent cruelty of the fur trade. Whether it's a fox trapped in North America, a mink on a fur farm in Europe, or a factory worker in China, they are all connected by a system of exploitation. The underlying theme is compassion.”

“Fur production always harms animals and the environment, it is never sustainable”, says Thomas Pietsch, Wild Animal Expert at global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS. “Additionally, the recent COVID-19 outbreaks on hundreds of mink farms highlights the risk the fur industry poses for human health by spreading zoonotic diseases and enabling potential future health catastrophes.”

The United States and Canada are the top producers of trapped fur in the world. Even though over 100 countries, including the EU and China, have prohibited the use of the steel-jaw leghold traps, trappers in North American commonly use them to kill millions of wild animals a year for the global fur market. Animals caught in crippling leg-hold traps can suffer for days without food or water and have been known to gnaw off their limbs to escape. These archaic traps are indiscriminate, often maiming and killing non-target animals, including threatened species and pets.

The majority of fur comes from fur factory farms where animals spend their entire lives in cramped battery cages, deprived of the ability to engage in natural behaviours like running, digging and swimming. Their suffering is only ended by crude gassing or electrocution.

The majority of fur comes from fur factory farms where animals spend their entire lives in cramped battery cages, deprived of the ability to engage in natural behaviors like running, digging and swimming. Their suffering is only ended by crude gassing or electrocution.  

Thankfully, the fur trade is on the decline as more brands and retailers – including Gucci, Armani, Hugo Boss and Prada – have announced fur free policies and joined the Fur Free Retailer Program together with almost 1,500 other fashion companies worldwide. More and more cities, states and countries have passed laws ending fur production, sales or imports.

The film features music from Billie Eilish who has used her platform to encourage people to stop wearing fur.

You can watch the video below or here: https://youtu.be/PuGF6WE_M6Q.

How can you help?

• FOUR PAWS is supporting the “Stop Deadly Fur” campaign initiated by the Fur Free Alliance. Sign the petition and support the call on the G20 leaders to publicly acknowledge that fur farming must end in order to stop the suffering of over 100 million animals every year and prevent future outbreaks of zoonotic diseases that also pose a risk for human health: https://help.four-paws.org/en/end-cruel-and-deadly-fur-trade-it-causes-next-pandemic
   
• Here in Australia, we pushing for Australia to go Fur Free. Australia still imports millions of dollars worth of real and faux fur annually. Let's stop the trade. Sign our open letter to call for New South Wales and Victoria to lead the way and to #BanFur: https://wearitkind.org/take-action/ban-fur. 
   
• FOUR PAWS also announced this year Wear it Kind, a new global initiative aimed at revolutionizing the use of animals in fashion by choosing to buy clothing that encourages kindness to animals, people and the environment. #WearitKind is about wearing clothes that match your values and the outfits you feel good in. To learn more visit WearItKind.org.