Behind the luxe façade of fur coats and animal-skin bags, animals are still being killed. Did you know 18 foxes are killed to make one fox fur coat?

Even more shocking: in China, fur from millions of dogs and cats ‒ they are bled to death or strangled with wire nooses ‒ is turned into falsely labeled fur from other species and is exported worldwide for sale.

For the first time in Singapore and coinciding with World Animal Day on October 4, ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) will be holding a three-day event ‒ “Shop wise, save lives. Say no to animal cruelty” ‒ to reveal more hidden cruelty behind the production of everyday products.

Fashion items, along with cosmetics, toiletries and common household products, will be displayed through a mock supermarket.

Don’t expect the display to hold back on graphic content; the disturbing visuals and facts will hopefully jolt the public out of complacency and force even non-animal lovers to reflect on what they wear, buy and eat.

The rude awakening doesn’t come without solutions, of course. Cruelty-free, animal-friendly alternatives from brands like The Body Shop Singapore, Bud Cosmetics, Lemongrass House and Intelligent Nutrients will be showcased and available for purchase at a discount.

Other activities throughout the event include an interactive action booth that allows you to upload event photos onto Facebook and download the free “Cruelty Living App” onto your iPhone. Specially designed ACRES t-shirts and other merchandise will also be available for purchase.

“Shop wise, save lives. Say no to animal cruelty”
Dates: October 1 – 3, 2010
Time: 12 noon – 9pm
Venue: The Atrium@Orchard (open space beside Plaza Singapura)

Some good-to-know information about ACRES:
• ACRES rescue over 30 wild animals in Singapore each month
• Each rescue costs ACRES between $80 and $500
• Illegal wildlife trade in Asia alone is estimated to be worth nearly $20 billion, killing 40,000 mammals, 17 million reptiles and one million birds in the last decade