In Defense of Animals

Suburban youth fight for the furry ones

Saturday is a day that is usually reserved for lounging and relaxation, especially for teenagers, but for one dedicated band of adolescents, however, it is a day for protest. Every Saturday at approximately noon, a small group of teens gather in front of Barrington’s Furs in downtown Oakville to protest the exploitation of animals by the fur industry.

The movement began two months ago when no more than a dozen teenagers staged a picketing session in front of the high-end furrier’s Lakeshore store. Oakville police were quick to move in, however, and the protest was broken up after only half an hour of picketing. The officer cited an Oakville by-law, which stated that merchants own the sidewalk in front of their businesses, and therefore can have any loiterers removed at will. The hopes of the group would not be dashed, though, and the following week, the protest continued. In order to avoid harassment from the authorities, the plucky teens simply picketed the crosswalks adjacent to the furrier. This strategy enabled them to stay off the sidewalks, and avoid blocking traffic at the same time. Ironically, the by-law which the officer had claimed to have legality was still in the process of being passed by city council, and therefore should not have been enforced. The Toronto Star exposed this gaffe several weeks after the first protest, as the newspaper noted that council was proposing such a by-law because of the protests. In effect, the city of Oakville was trying to ban protests in general.

Recent efforts in the area were given a shot in the arm by the arrival of more experienced animal rights advocates from Burlington. Even though the group’s numbers only totaled four, their maturity (ages ranging from early thirties to fifties) helped add credibility to the movement, and dispel the notion that the group was simply a rowdy bunch of teenage punks. On the contrary, the teen advocates are not the typical screaming extremists who are generally associated with the field of animal rights. Holding up placards featuring slogans such as “Nice people don’t wear fur”, and even joking around with sympathizing passersby, the group is more interested in communication than with confrontation. At the rally last week, David Arnold, the informal leader of the group, was asked to go inside the store to talk with the owner. The pair conversed for roughly half an hour, and upon exiting the store, Arnold explained that the duo had discussed the different viewpoints on the subject of animal rights, and that everything was very calm and professional.

The recent meeting of the opposing sides at the protest was a fine example of the goals set by the teenage activists; education and awareness are the keys to dealing with issues. If you would like to join in on the protesting of fur in Oakville, Barrington’s Furs is located at the corner of Trafalgar and Lakeshore in downtown Oakville, and the group protests every Saturday at noon.