Eva Mendes Speaks Out Against Fur

by Patricia Trostle

Eva Mendes will be the first to tell you that she loves fashion. The gorgeous Latina actor—who are we kidding, mega-star!—can be found gracing the pages of every magazine you can think of, and many of the world's top designers leap at the chance to dress her.

One thing you'll never catch Eva in, though, is fur, because as much as she loves fashion, Eva loves animals even more. And she knows that there's nothing glamorous about wearing animals' pelts. After learning the ugly truth about the fur industry, not only did Eva vow never to wear fur again, she also wanted to do her part to help educate others.

Every year, millions of rabbits, foxes, raccoons, minks, and other animals are electrocuted, are strangled, or have their necks broken on fur farms, while others in the wild are drowned, stomped, or beaten to death by trappers. There are no laws protecting these animals, and many are even skinned alive or have their throats cut while they are still conscious.

There are no regulations on fur farms in China, where more than half of the finished fur garments imported for sale in the U.S. come from, so farmers can treat animals as they see fit. An undercover investigation of Chinese fur farms revealed that many animals—even dogs and cats—are still alive and struggling as workers skin them. Their fur is often mislabeled and sold around the world. So if you wear fur, you never know who you are wearing.

Eva says, "At a time when there is so much violence in the world, this is one type of violence that all of us can help stop—by being informed consumers." Find out what else Eva had to say about the fur industry, how she feels about animals, and how her beloved dog, Hugo, changed her life.

If you're like Eva and you're a firm believer that fashion should be fun and never involve cruelty and suffering, then pledge to be fur-free.