The brave men and women of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) are pros at forging through thick smoke to get to the heart of a problem. So it was disappointing that the department’s charitable arm, the FDNY Foundation, was unable to penetrate Canada Goose’s smokescreen preventing the public from seeing the cruelty that goes into its fur and down jackets.
On April 3, the outerwear company announced that the FDNY Foundation had agreed to collaborate on a special-edition jacket. That evening, PETA sent the foundation information about coyote trapping and a video of geese being herded so tightly that they suffocated. Initially, the foundation’s chairperson indicated to PETA that he was upset about the partnership. But then on April 5, it released a statement saying that it believes Canada Goose’s assertions about “ethical sourcing” and its “responsible use of animal products.”
Such claims are not to be believed. Wild coyotes used for fur are caught in steel traps that crush their necks or slam down on their legs, often cutting to the bone. Desperate to free themselves, mothers with young pups who would starve without them sometimes attempt to chew off a limb in order to escape. When the trappers arrive, they shoot, stomp on, or bludgeon the terrified animals to death.
©Born Free USA
Canada Goose says that its down comes from birds who are free from fear, pain, distress, and physical discomfort, but that is simply not the case. Last October, PETA eyewitnesses at a Canada Goose supplier in Manitoba, Canada, recorded workers rounding up geese for transport to slaughter. They repeatedly stepped on some while reaching for others and herded them into pens, where, in their frantic effort to escape, the birds panicked and piled on top of one another in the corners. Those on the bottom of the pile were crushed and suffocated. At least one died, and a worker tossed the dead bird over a fence.
Workers grabbed the geese by the neck, two in each hand, and hauled them to metal transport crates, as they cried out and flapped their wings in distress. The cages clanged loudly as the geese were violently crammed into them, and they were so small that the birds were unable to hold their heads upright. Some were left like that for up to 24 hours without any food or water, including the more than five hours it took to get to the slaughterhouse.
Once there, the birds were again grabbed by the neck and then shackled upside down by the legs and slashed across the throat. Some still flapped their wings and moved their heads as they bled out, “signs of consciousness and sensibility,” according to one veterinary expert. About half the birds had bruises on their wings—or even dislocated joints or broken bones—likely as a result of the rough handling.
PETA has filed a complaint with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Competition Bureau of Canada challenging Canada Goose’s claims that its products are “[e]thically sourced” and “humane.” We’ve also submitted evidence to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are asking that its Food Safety and Inspection Service investigate the slaughterhouse.
We admire the FDNY, which has been recognized by PETA for its heroic animal rescues. It should not allow its reputation to be sullied by an alliance with a company that puts profits ahead of saving lives.
Rather than sharing the FDNY’s dedication to serving and protecting, Canada Goose hurts animals and is far from transparent about its practices. Consumers should not be duped by its claims, especially when they could instead bundle up in truly ethical coats from fur-free and down-free brands that never harm a hair (or a feather) on an animal’s head.
