Coats for Cubs

Many folks have men's fur hats, and fur coats that they have been passed down from mom or grandma that they will never wear. Fur hats have not been on the fashion radar for men in quite some years. And the style that might have flattered grandma might not fit or flatter granddaughter. Many folks will also not wear animal fur period. While many vintage items go on to new and exiting lives, these types of items are usually passed down, only to stay hidden in a dark closet.

What to do with them?

One very great cause is to offer them for wildlife rehabilitation programs. There are a variety of species, from the endangered who folks are trying to help thrive, to injured adults, to more common wildlife such as squirrel, raccoon, and fox who are orphaned by mom getting hit by a car, their tree being chopped down and falling from their nest. It allows rehabilitators to have a "hands off" approach with young animals so they do not imprint to humans, but to their own species, if they have a chance of being released back into their environment.

If you would like to find out more, please visit the Humane Society of the United States.

http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/fur_and_trapping/donate_your_old_furs_to_wildlife.html

If you live in California, Nevada, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Philadelphia, between now and April 22, 2006, the Buffalo Exchange chain of stores is taking donations of furs. Please read below:
http://www.buffaloexchange.com/bulletins_det.php?Bulletin_ID=458
or
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/fur_and_trapping/coats_for_cubs_doubles_return.html

This post is dedicated to the young raccoon that although we tried, we could not save last monday night. He was hit by a reckless driver in the car in front of us. Being animal lovers, we jammed on the brakes as we saw him pull himself to the side of the road with his front paws. We could not turn our backs on him - he surely would have been hit again, been ripped apart or froze to death. We took him home and kept him warm and quiet, thanks to the advice of a kind rehabilitator who picked up the phone so late at night and talked us through. Please support these folks, they do beautiful work. Unfortunatety, my family nor the vet could reverse the extensive paralysis. We were so heartbroken, but are willing to help the next animal that should need us, even if it is not the kind of animal we would expect.