Coats for Cubs

I have a mink coat hanging in my closet gathering dust. The coat has been there for almost ten years since my mother died. Before her death it hung in her closet for approximately 40 years. I am certain that she must have worn it on occasion; long before wearing animal fur was recognized as being inhumane.

The question was, after her death, what could I do with an old mink coat? I didn’t want to donate it to a thrift store and have it sold for someone else to wear. I didn’t want to put it on e-Bay for the same reason. If I will not wear the coat because I am opposed to animal cruelty, then why would I make it available for someone else to wear?

So that mink coat continued to hang in my closet until this past week when I learned about Coats for Cubs, a program sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States. HSUS, www.humanesociety.org/, collects fur coats, hats, muffs, etc. and gives them back to animals. They receive the furs, cut them into appropriate sizes and ship them to wild life refuges and rehabilitation centers for injured or sick wildlife. The fur, used as bedding, reduces stress and fear in injured animals and abandoned cubs of all species.

The best thing about the program, from my point of view, is that I don’t need to package up that coat and ship it to Washington, D.C. Buffalo Exchange, www.buffaloexchange.com/, which has stores or franchises in 14 states, collects and ships them at no cost. They have an outlet in Berkeley, which is approximately 20 miles from my house. I called to confirm their location and hours and also to inquire if they accept fake fur. Nope, only the real thing! But I am delighted to find such a simple and satisfying solution for disposing of something I didn’t want in the first place.

Live long and prosper!