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Like other animals farmed for their fur, rabbits slaughtered to
become Wet Seal clothes are kept in tiny, filthy cages, surrounded by their own waste. They spend their entire miserable lives
standing on thin wires, never having a chance to dig, jump, or play. To kill the rabbits, fur farmers break the animals’
necks or smash their skulls before stringing them up by their legs to cut off their heads. Other rabbits wait nearby as the
animals are bludgeoned to death or even skinned alive.  A recent investigation into fur farms in China (which supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States)
discovered shocking cruelty, including workers who were skinning animals alive, then throwing the still-conscious animals
onto a pile of those who had gone before them. Some lay there dying for up to 10 minutes, still blinking, their hearts beating
visibly beneath their exposed flesh. One skinned raccoon dog had enough strength left in his completely skinned body to lift
his head and stare into the camera.
The globalization of the fur trade has made it impossible to know where fur products come from. Skins move
through international auction houses and are purchased and distributed to manufacturers around the world, and the finished
goods are then exported overseas. Even if a fur garment’s label says that it was made in a European country, the animals
were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere—possibly on an unregulated Chinese fur farm.
Just a Bit of Fur Trim? Try Telling That to Rabbits!
 Rabbits are extremely social animals, living with their families in underground burrows called warrens. They can hop faster
than a cat, human, or white-tailed deer can run. Rabbits love nibbling on alfalfa, timothy hay, apples, carrots, and crisp,
green veggies, and they chew vigorously to trim their front teeth, which never stop growing. They communicate through body
language, marking their territories like cats by rubbing their chins on twigs, rocks, or other landmarks. People who have
adopted domestic rabbits from shelters know that they can be extremely affectionate, snuggling with their human companions
and gently nuzzling their necks. Rabbits are sensitive, smart animals with individual personalities, just like dogs and cats.
They make lifelong bonds with other rabbits and humans, play with toys, and can even learn to use litterboxes.
 If its top competitor, Forever 21, can pull fur off the shelves, why can’t Wet Seal?
Forever 21 has now joined Gadzooks, Topshop, Zara, and countless others by adopting a strong fur-free policy
for all of its stores.
Joel Waller, CEO of Wet Seal, told Women’s Wear Daily that he plans to emulate Forever 21’s
business model. When it comes to catering to the desires of young shoppers—most don’t want to see animals killed
for their fur, so just what is Wet Seal waiting for?
Learn more about Forever 21’s decision to adopt a fur-free policy.
Tell Joel Waller to practice what he preaches and forgo fur this fall:
Joel N. Waller, CEO
Wet Seal, Inc.
26972 Burbank
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
949-699-4734
949-206-4977
(fax)
Joel.Waller@wetseal.com
When undercover investigators made their way onto Chinese fur farms recently, they found that many animals
are still alive and struggling desperately when workers flip them onto their backs or hang them up by their legs or tails
to skin them. When workers on these farms begin to cut the skin and fur from an animal's leg, the free limbs kick and writhe.
Workers stomp on the necks and heads of animals who struggle too hard to allow a clean cut. When the fur is finally
peeled off over the animals' heads, their naked, bloody bodies are thrown onto a pile of those who have gone before them.
Some are still alive, breathing in ragged gasps and blinking slowly. Some of the animals' hearts are still beating five to
10 minutes after they are skinned. One investigator recorded a skinned raccoon dog on the heap of carcasses who had enough
strength to lift his bloodied head and stare into the camera.
Before they are skinned alive, animals are
pulled from their cages and thrown to the ground; workers bludgeon them with metal rods or slam them on hard surfaces, causing
broken bones and convulsions but not always immediate death. Animals watch helplessly as workers make their way down the row.
 Undercover investigators from Swiss Animals Protection/EAST International recently toured fur farms in China's
Hebei Province, and it quickly became clear why outsiders are banned from visiting. There are no regulations governing fur
farms in China—farmers can house and slaughter animals however they see fit—meaning miserable lives and excruciating
deaths. The investigators found horrors beyond their worst imaginings and concluded, "Conditions on Chinese fur farms make
a mockery of the most elementary animal welfare standards. … In their lives and their unspeakable deaths, these animals
have been denied even the simplest acts of kindness."
On these farms, foxes, minks, rabbits, and other animals pace and shiver in outdoor wire cages, exposed to driving rain,
freezing nights, and, at other times, scorching sun. Mother animals, who are driven crazy from rough handling and intense
confinement and have nowhere to hide while giving birth, often kill their babies after delivering litters. Disease and injuries
are widespread, and animals suffering from anxiety-induced psychosis chew on their own limbs and throw themselves repeatedly
against the cage bars.
 The globalization of the fur trade has made it impossible to know where fur products come from. Skins move through
international auction houses and are purchased and distributed to manufacturers around the world, and finished goods are often
exported. China supplies more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the United States. Even
if a fur garment's label says it was made in a European country, the animals were likely raised and slaughtered elsewhere—possibly
on an unregulated Chinese fur farm.
Because a fur's origin can't be traced, anyone who wears any fur at all
shares the blame for the horrific conditions on Chinese fur farms. The only way to prevent such unimaginable cruelty is never
to wear any fur.
Watch the video now. 
 With the help of activists all over the world, PETA has already convinced Wet Seal competitors Forever 21, Gadzooks, and others
to adopt strong fur-free policies. Now it’s time for Wet Seal to follow suit.
From writing a quick letter to
sponsoring a billboard in your community, there are tons of fun and easy things that you can do to convince Wet Seal to pledge
never to sell fur again. And remember that if you’re on the peta2 Street Team, you can earn free stuff like T-Shirts, hoodies, messenger bags, and more. Here
are some ideas on what you can do to help:
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Don't Shop at Wet Seal, and Tell Your Friends Not
to Shop There, Either
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Get the Word Out!
Leaflet or demonstrate outside a local Wet Seal store to get others involved. PETA will
supply all the materials you need (free of charge) and put you in touch with other activists in
your area. A demo can be as simple as having one person pass out leaflets or as involved as having dozens of people with costumes,
bullhorns, street theater, video, etc.
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Urge Wet Seal to Get Rid of the Fur
Explain
that you’ll be boycotting the chain—and telling all your friends and family to do the same—until it pledges
to stop selling fur:
Joel N. Waller, CEO
Wet Seal, Inc.
26972 Burbank
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
949-699-4734
1-866-475-2255
(Customer Service)
949-206-4977 (fax)
949-699-4714 (Customer Service fax)
Joel.Waller@wetseal.com
CustomerService@wetseal.com
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Take Our Wet Seal Campaign Leaflets to Your Local
Wet Seal Store
Talk to the manager about our campaign. E-mail WetSealSucks@peta.org with your plans. Be sure to let us know which manager you spoke
with and how it went. If you need materials, please let us know. You can also drop leaflets off at local libraries and public
schools, post them wherever you can, give them to your friends and family and ask them to pass them on, or use them in school
projects—there are plenty of possibilities, and if you ever run out of ideas, let us know and we’ll hook you up
with even more!
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Collect Signatures to Send a Loud Message to Wet
Seal.
Download our Wet Seal petition, gather as many signatures and e-mail addresses as you can, and
then send your filled-out petition back to us:
PETA Wet Seal Petition
501 Front St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
We will send all the petitions to Wet Seal to show the company that consumers do not support cruelty to animals. Street
Teamers will receive 250 points for gathering signatures and 50 additional points for each e-mail address.
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Write a Short Letter to the Editor of Your Local
Newspaper, Telling Readers Exactly What Animals Go Through for Wet Seal’s Fur-Trimmed Clothes
Be sure to
explain that the best thing that readers can do for animals in the clothing industry is to stop wearing them, and be sure
to include our Web site!
Get PETA’s tips on letter-writing.
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Sponsor a Billboard in Your Community or an Ad in
Your Local Newspaper
Take a look at our ads. Then, find a billboard company that will post the board or a
newspaper to run the ad. Contact PETA for the artwork. |
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Andy Dick is best-known for his side-splitting roles in TV shows such as The Assistant, News Radio, and
The Andy Dick Show, but when the actor/comedian recently called Wet Seal on behalf of PETA, it was no joking matter.
In his 
