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The results are in. The Fund for Animals recently released the results of a new survey conducted by Decision Research on high-income shoppers' attitudes toward fur. The verdict? Fifty-four percent of upscale consumers consider selling fur products to be socially irresponsible. By more than a four-to-one margin, consumers prefer to shop at stores that do not sell fur. So, why does Neiman Marcus continue to support the senseless exploitation of wildlife, when the majority of its target customers would prefer it not to? The answer, simply put: greed.
Neiman Marcus seems not to care how many people oppose its fur policy. As long as there are some people not bothered by animal cruelty, Neimans will cater to them.
Rather than doing the right thing—closing its fur departments—the multibillion-dollar corporation is continuing to support the cruelties of the fur industry by not only maintaining fur departments, but also by trying to create a demand for fur with an aggressive advertising campaign. Whether trapped or "farmed," the animals who are made into the coats and trim sold in Neiman Marcus department stores suffered immensely. Merely to make luxury items, animals on fur "farms" are confined in tiny wire cages. After months of doing nothing but pace back and forth, the animals are killed by any method which won't harm their fur. Some of the more common methods include gassing, neck-breaking, and anal or genital electrocution. Animals trapped in the wild suffer for hours and sometimes days before being clubbed or stomped to death by a trapper. And, yes, Neimans is responsible for this cruelty.
Neiman Marcus Silences Its Own Shareholders!On January 21, 2002, The Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE: NMG.A, NMG.B) refused to admit five of its own shareholders into the Neiman Marcus Group's annual stockholders meeting. The shareholders, who are also COK activists, had traveled from Washington, D.C., to the meeting at the Boston Newton Marriott Hotel in the hopes of asking questions regarding Neiman Marcus' continued sale of fur products. The company knew weeks in advance that the five shareholders planned to attend the annual meeting and question the company's pro-fur policy, but chose to tell them 30 minutes before the start that they were being denied entry, citing the company's suspicion that they would be "disruptive" during the meeting. The shareholders are currently looking into their legal options.
What Else Has COK Been Up To?
Aside from organizing demonstrations as usual, COK activists have also stepped up our activism on this campaign. Beginning in November 2001, activists have maintained an almost daily presence in front of the D.C. Neimans, passing out literally tens of thousands of brochures detailing exactly what types of cruelties Neimans is responsible for. And, just two weeks before the busiest time of the year for retailers like Neiman Marcus, 8,000 target Neiman Marcus customers in the D.C.-area received a holiday greeting postcard from COK, asking them to contact the store to request a fur-free policy.
And, of course, for the fourth year in a row, COK held Fur-Free X-mas at the D.C. Neimans. During all Neiman Marcus business hours for the three days before Christmas, three to six activists held a banner and passed out anti-fur leaflets in front of the store. You Can Help!If you live near a Neiman Marcus store location, please contact COK for a free Neiman Carcass Action Pack. You'll receive all the materials you need to start a campaign in your area. Check www.NeimansKills.com for NM store locations. Even if you don't live near a Neimans store, you can still encourage the company to become socially responsible. Please contact Neiman Marcus and request that a fur-free policy be adopted!
Contact Neiman Marcus:
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| P.O. BOX 9773, WASHINGTON, DC 20016 | 301-891-2458 | info@cok.net | ||||||||||||||||||||||
