Occasionally, we receive a donation that [for whatever reason] we can’t sell. We’ve been holding a collection of coyote and rabbit fur for a few years.

We sold some of it, but we discovered that the market for real fur among individuals is fairly small, especially for fur like ours: strips of fur without a verifiable source. Personal ethics also made it hard to merchandise. Luckily, we recently discovered a solution.

Coats for Cubs accepts used fur, usually in the form of coats, to be reused as bedding for animals in rehabilitation. From their website: “Donated furs are collected and shipped to animal rehabilitation units where they are disassembled and used as bedding to provide a more natural and nurturing environment for injured and orphaned wildlife. Because the furs are disassembled, the condition of the fur contribution is unimportant. However, real furs are preferred by both the rehab facilities and the animals.”

Coats for Cubs is an annual drive operated in large part by fashion resale shop Buffalo Exchange. They collected 1,241 used furs during last year’s drive; since 2006, 7,572 used furs have been collected by Buffalo Exchange and the Humane Society of the United States on behalf of wildlife rehabilitation organizations nationwide.

We were proud to support their efforts by donating our coyote and rabbit fur last week. This year’s drive lasts from January 15 to Earth Day, April 22. If you have a fur that you’d like to donate, drop it by the Buffalo Exchange at 1713 Chestnut Street. The drive ends just one week from today, so visit soon!