While many of us understand the cruelty involved in the fur industry, the cruel leather trade receives far less focus and media attention. Every year over a billion animals die to meet the demands of the growing leather industry. Consumers are led to believe that leather is a by-product of the meat industry however, this could not be further from the truth. The leather trade is estimated to make up half of all profits from cattle slaughterhouses and animals are often kept on factory farms. On these farms, extreme confinement, unanesthetized castration, dehorning, branding, non-existent veterinary care and poor quality food are all commonplace. The skins of meat and dairy cows are used for leather whilst the skins of young male calves, are used for calfskin suede. The leather industry by no means limits itself to the skins of cattle and sheep. Many others animals are victims of this multi-billion dollar industry.

Indian Leather

India plays host to one of the world’s largest leather industries. In India, animal welfare laws are virtually non-existent and the laws that are in place are not enforced. In many parts of the country, cows are considered sacred and therefore it is illegal to slaughter them. Cattle buyers generally purchase cattle from impoverished Indian families with the promise that the cows will be protected and cared for. In reality, the cattle are forced to march hundreds of miles in blistering temperatures with little or no food and water. They are marched to Bangladesh, Pakistan or an Indian state where cattle slaughter is legal. After the agonizing march they face a horrific death.

The March

As cows are considered sacred, Indian families treat them with a great deal of respect throughout their lives. When a cow is sold to a leather company they face extremities of cruelty that were previously unknown to them. Many cows will falter, collapse and die during the long journey to the slaughterhouse. The animals that get too tired to walk are tortured and antagonized by having chilli pepper and tobacco rubbed into their eyes. Some will have their bones purposely broken in order to motivate them to walk further. Once they arrive at their destination, they are slaughtered.

Animals used for Leather

Whilst cattle are the most commonly used animal for leather, many other animals are exploited for their skins. The skins of unborn calves and lambs may be purposely aborted in order to create so called ‘luxury leather’. Other animals that suffer for their skins include goats, pigs, camels, eels, dogs, cats, fish, turtles, dolphins, seals, frogs, horses, emus, ostriches, boars and sharks. All of these animals undergo tremendous suffering from being raised in confinement or being caught using snares and hooks in the wild. To put it simply, the methods employed are inhumane and cruel. All of these animals will face a painful death and in most cases will not receive any anaesthetic or pain relief.

Slaughter Process

Cows killed for their skins are often hacked to death or skinned alive. No regard to animal welfare is applied in the majority of leather slaughterhouses. Pigs may be scalded alive in boiling water, a process to remove their hairs and soften their skin. Kangaroos are shot in the head, as required by Australian law. However, orphaned joeys and injured kangaroo adults are either decapitated or have their skulls smashed in. Snakes, alligators, lizards and crocodiles are skinned alive, bludgeoned to death and nailed to trees in order to fuel the demand for exotic skin handbags, boots, purses and watch straps. Sheep and lambs may have their skin and wool cut off whilst alive. A sheared garment is created from the skin of a sheep or lamb sheared just before slaughter. Their skins are then used to create Ugg Boots, rugs, handbags and shoes. In China, dogs and cats are skinned alive, hung upside down and drowned or strangled to make purses, wallets, shoes and coats. Goats may be boiled alive to create ‘kid’ gloves or alternatively may have their skin cut off from them whilst they are alive.

Suede

Young male dairy calves are torn from their mothers within moments of their birth to be chained inside tiny wooden crates. These crates are often only two feet wide and they are designed to purposely stop the calf from turning or moving. A chain is placed around the neck in order to stop the calve from lying down so that the veal meat is as tender as possible. Calves undergo immense trauma and suffer from constant shaking, head tossing and repetitive habits. Calves are fed an intentionally iron and fibre deficient milk-substitute in order to produce a pale coloured flesh. The calves that survive these traumatic living conditions are then slaughtered and their skins are used for calfskin suede. This suede is commonly used for footwear, belts, jackets, upholstery and handbags.

Action

The simplest method to combat the leather industry is to not buy leather, suede, exotic skins or any animal skin product. As you have discovered, slaughterhouses receive almost half of their profits from animal skins whilst the rest of their money comes from slaughtering meat and dairy animals. If you refuse to support the meat industry by changing your diet, you can ensure less profit goes to these abattoirs. With more and more people standing up to slaughterhouses, they will have less animals to slaughter so more lives will be saved. There are many high quality alternatives to leather and animal skins that do not involved the suffering of any animal whether lamb, calve, goat or kangaroo.