Brrr — Anyone Want a Fur Coat?

By LUIS GONZALEZ

A group of protesters from the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, braved an arctic-like cold and gathered in front of Paragon Sports to demonstrate against Canada Goose and their use of coyote fur in their products.

Founded in 1957, Canada Goose has been a familiar target of the animal rights organization because of the company’s use of coyote fur on their coats as well as the use of goose down. Videos posted by PETA show coyotes caught in bear traps for days before a hunter comes to kill the animal, usually violently, according to PETA.

“There’s cruelty in every stitch of these Canada Goose coats,” said Ashley Byrne, campaign specialist for PETA, who paced back and forth between the two groups of protesters in front of the store. “From the fact that they’re lined with fur of real coyotes who are caught in steel traps and spend up to 72 hours in those traps, badly injured,”

The group of ten protesters held signs in what appeared to be a silent protest. Two demonstrators, wearing only underwear and painted like foxes.
shook in the 25 degree weather and high winds. Bear traps were placed on their hands and feet, with fake blood dripping onto the cardboard placed at their feet. “Canada Goose: Shameless Cruelty” read some of the signs.

Byrne was seen trying to keep the two near-naked protesters warm by providing earmuffs and gloves in an attempt to combat the bitter cold.

Onlookers gathered around the protesters to observe and take photos. Small arguments broke out early on between the protesters and onlookers but disappated quickly. A handful of large police vans could be seen nearby.

Last year the Canadian company was the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Animal Justice Canada Legislative Fund for allegedly misrepresenting its fur obtaining process, according to the organization’s website.

“Our company is built on honesty and authenticity so we have gone to great lengths to be as open as possible about why we use fur on our products, how it is sourced, and the government-regulated practices of the Canadian fur industry,” said Canada Goose in response to PETA early last year.

Employees at Paragon Sports declined comment.