‘Rabbit man’ yanks strangers’ hair to create awareness on cruel Angora fur trade
How would you feel if somebody pulled your hair out while you’re strolling down the street?
Shocked? In pain? Violated?
These were some of the strong reactions which PETA 2, the youth wing for People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, evoked during a social experiment to create awareness on the cruel Angora fur trade.
The experiment was done in Seoul’s shopping district Myeong-dong in South Korea where a rabbit-suit donned person would sneak up to a stranger from behind and pull out a section of their hair, leaving the victims appearing either shocked or angry.
It was documented in a video posted on 8 May, which ended with a short clip of an Angora rabbit having its fur stripped, causing it to give out a loud desperate cry of help. For many viewers, it was immensely heartbreaking to watch.
“How can one like to do that kind of job ... pulling hair of those innocent living being ... don’t they feel pain while hearing that sound,” said an Ashma Hasmuk.
“Aww… that broke my heart hearing it screams. I’m no animal activist but I don’t like seeing that at all. That should be illegal,” said an Alicia Conley.
The video garnered over 10,000 Likes, 20,000 shares and over 600,000 views as of Monday.
The harsh and cruel treatment of Angora rabbits as part of the fur trade in China was exposed in 2011 when a video by PETA showed the dire living conditions and cruel method of tying the rabbits up and stripping them off their fur.
It was reported that about 90 per cent of the world’s Angora fur comes from China, with 4,700 tons produced each year.
However, there are ways to harvest the Angora rabbit’s fur without hurting them, through simple cutting, shearing, or gentle pulling at the ends.
This video shows how to cut:
This clip shows how to shear or pull:
