The campaign has seen numerous demos outside the dockyard urging people to boycott the area until it initiates a fur free policy. The demos have seen people walk out of the dockyard in disgust and SARC have filled pages of petitions against the cruel fur trade.

Nauticalia, a shop in the dockyard, makes its money from selling toy cats made from real rabbit fur. The workers inside the shop have complained that they get no say in what goes on in their shop and it is a head office decision, but the Dockyard itself could get rid of fur and force the furriers to pack up and move on, simply by following the lead of other shopping districts across the south coast and initiating a fur free policy.

SARC are urging people to complain directly to the dockyard using their online comments form. Found here:  http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/contact/

Try this for a sample message:

Dear Sir/Madam,

R.E: Fur in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

I discovered recently that a shop in the Portsmouth Historic dockyard is selling toy cats made from real rabbit fur. This both shocked and appalled me. I will not be visiting your site, and will encourage my friends to do the same, until I am certain the area is fur free. Fur is barbaric and unnecessary.

I have been informed that the fur comes from China, a country which has no animal welfare laws meaning animals raised for fur are often skinned alive, kept in tiny metal crates and go so mad with living such vile conditions that it is not rare for them to bite off their own limbs.

It was claimed by Nauticalia that their furs are only a by-product of the meat industry but the simple fact is that a pelt will fetch much more money than body.

Having read that the Dockyard was involved in such a disgusting trade and having seen the demonstrations outside your front gate, I feel the only ethical choice I can make it to take my tourism and business elsewhere.

Yours Faithfully

[Insert name here]


For every person who take two minutes to copy/paste/and slightly amend this email it is another nail in the coffin for the fur trade and it sends a clear sign that no one will stand by and let the Dockyard get away with exploiting animals.

Fur real!