Your mission: Pledge to be fur-free! Then encourage others to do the same by educating people about the cruelty of fur production.

Why? Every year, more than 50 million animals are killed for their fur. Raccoon dogs, mink, foxes, bobcats, beavers, rabbits, lynx, chinchillas…the list goes on and on. And while many are killed to make full-length coats that require up to 100 animals, many are also killed just for trim. Tens of millions of these animals spent their lives in tiny, barren wire cages. Millions of others were captured in cruel steel-jaw leghold traps and snares. Along with wild animals suffering and dying, millions of dogs and cats are killed for their fur in Asia, for export worldwide. Countless dogs and cats also get injured or killed in the United States in traps set for wild animals. And with fur garments in the United States commonly unlabeled, mislabeled, or falsely advertised, you can never really know which animals were killed for a coat.

How? Fight the fur industry by following these steps:

1. Know your stuff. To be an effective activist, you need to know what you’re talking about. Download our Fight Fur factsheet. Watch the videos and read the investigations at humanesociety.org/furfree and www.infurmation.com . While you’re there, sign the pledge to be fur-free , and we’ll keep you up-to-date on the latest breakthroughs and ways you can help us achieve our next victories.

2. Expose the ugly truth. Videos show the truth behind fur like nothing else. Visit us at www.myspace.com/thehumanesociety and add our videos and web badges to your Myspace page. Our videos are also on www.YouTube.com/user/hsus.

3. Write on! Use the power of the pen (or the keyboard) to let others know why fur is cruel.

• The next time you see a story about fur on a news site, blog, or other online forum, post a comment. When posting online, encourage people to visit  humanesociety.org/furfree to see the videos for themselves.

• Writing a letter to the editor is a way to let thousands of people know what you think. The next time you see a fur story in a newspaper, write a letter to the editor. Learn how at www.hsus.org/furfree/resources/letters_to_the_editor_about_fur.html. More tips are in our Speak Up for Animals! guide.

• When you see articles in tabloids, magazines, or other publications about celebrities wearing fur (in real life or onscreen) post a comment online or write a letter to the publication. Celebrities who wear fur are not only supporting the fur industry, they’re also sending the message that wearing it is acceptable and even glamorous.

• Write to your elected officials in Congress. (Find contact info for your representatives at www.hsus.org/leglookup.) Ask them to co-sponsor legislation banning the steel-jaw leghold trap in the United States and to ban commercial and recreational trapping on national wildlife refuges and other public lands. Get tips on writing to lawmakers in our Mission: Humane Action Guide, and stay up-to-date on the latest fur-related legislation at www.hsus.org/furfree/campaigns/legislation.html.

4. Get out there. Hold a campaign in your community to raise awareness about the fur industry. Here are a few suggestions for getting the word out.

• Hold a collection of fur items to help injured and orphaned animals. Through The HSUS’s Coats for Cubs program, furs are distributed to wildlife rehabilitators, who use them to comfort little critters. Encourage students, teachers, and other members of your community to collect unwanted furs. Set up drop boxes at schools, community centers, churches, pet supply stores, or other locations around town. Decorate the boxes with info about your collection and why consumers should go for faux. Publicize your collection with posters, an announcement over the PA system at school, and letters to your school and local newspapers. Once your collection is complete, send the items to Coats for Cubs, 2100 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037. (Note: If you need help sending in the furs, please e-mail us. )

• Download (or request a supply of) anti-fur campaign materials, including brochures, posters, fact sheets, and “I’m not a coat” cards here. Post them or hand them out at school, the mall, or in front of stores that sell fur.

• The day after Thanksgiving is one of the largest shopping days of the year. This is a perfect opportunity to urge consumers not to buy fur products, and "Fur-Free Friday" events take place in many cities. Sign up for notices about these events in your area and other issues of interest.

5. Tell us about it. Fill out our Mission: Accomplished form with details of what you did. Send us copies of your letters.

Your reward: Have a Heart No Fur button AND a Compassion is My Fashion temporary tattoo!