Fur

I am an animal lover. I consider myself reasonably socially conscious. I eat meat. I wear leather. And sometimes, I wear fur. Is this a contradiction?

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about fur. I do not want to be a hypocrite, and I do not want to participate in an industry I am ashamed of. I eat locally raised pork, because I am disgusted by the conditions factory farms raise pigs in. I drink organic, local milk, because I think it is better for the cow and better for me. And, I have always felt wearing fur was no different than wearing leather, except for the social stigma against doing so.

If you travel to cold climates, people wear fur out of necessity. It is the warmest fabric I have ever worn, much surpassing down (sometimes I wonder how much those geese like having their feathers plucked out), Thinsulate, etc. If you go to Russia, you will see all ends of the socioeconomic spectrum wearing fur coats, because people need it to keep warm. Here in the US, fur has the reputation of being a flashy choice indicating affluence.

I like the way fur looks, but more than that, I like that it is water repellent and soooo warm. There are some disturbing examples of animal mistreatment in the fur industry, but my research has shown this is true of all industries dealing with animals. There are companies that respect the animal and there are those that don't. My opinion has always been, the important part is to do your research on where you are purchasing animal products.

At times, I feel so much empathy for animals I think I should be a PETA supporting vegan. And more often, I think about the circle of life and how our ecosystem has functioned historically. Currently, I eat meat, wear leather shoes, and occasionally, a fur vest.

This blog promises to be a bit controversial. Fur is polarizing. Bon Lemon only sells animal friendly fur products. Part of the reason for this is, because I am still formulating my opinion on fur. It seems to me fur elicits an emotional reaction, but when you look at it logically, there is not much difference between wearing a fur vest and eating a piece of meat and wearing a leather jacket.

I welcome your comments both positive and negative. This discussion is like so many that are plagued with extremes on both sides. I am more interested in whether one can be an educated, socially conscious fur consumer or if buying fur is always bad.

Man's Best Friend

For centuries, humans have relied on animals for food and clothing. Bison were central to Native American culture, because of the vital resources they provided. Whitetail deer might put food on the table of a Montana family for an entire year. But dogs... well... dogs are different.

Even if I was stranded in the wilderness, I don't think I could eat my dog, Dolce Vita Evans. (Or if I did, I would have already come to terms with sacrificing my human travelling companion.) I wouldn't wear him as a coat. He doesn't help me plough a field. What does Dolce Vita Evans do? He sleeps a lot. I take him on walks. I feed him. (He is starting to remind me of a boyfriend I once had.) Let's face it, dogs are not in our lives, because they are particularly useful.

We have dogs in our lives, because they enhance our mundane, everyday experiences. When Dolce sleeps, sometimes he sticks his legs up in the air and kind of snores a little. You can't help but chuckle. When he goes to pee on something, it is the most acrobatic, artistic thing you've ever seen. You would think he was trying out for Swan Lake. He greets me at the door when I come home. He lets me know when there is someone else coming to the door. He isn't useful like other animals; he is irreplaceable like the perfect human who never criticizes you, but is just as excited to see you when you have been gone for an hour as when you've been gone for a week.

I can't imagine my life without Dolce Vita Evans, as I know many of my friends can't imagine their lives without their dogs. They are like our children. Dolce and I just returned from a walk on a beautiful, crisp fall day. He was smiling the whole way. And in turn, so was I.

A few pics from the early 2000's.