Fur coats help comfort sick animals

RAMONA (KABC) -- Fur coats usually cost thousands of dollars and are kept in people's closets. But in the Inland Empire, the expensive furs are being given to injured and sick animals.

Take one look around the Fund for Animals Wildlife Rehab Center in Ramona and everywhere you see are sick, injured and broken-down animals. Little coyotes, bobcats, and even mountain lions -- now even predators are in need of help.

"It's terribly sad, because you don't want to see any animal suffer," said Cindy Traisi.

But Traisi says it's ironic that fur coats of all things- so often associated with animal suffering - are now being used to make these critters feel better.

A mink scarf is one of hundreds of furs donated to the wildlife center. Traisi says that the animals love it.

"Oh, I guess the softness. It feels like mom's fur. Really kind of sad, and it's just like comfort food, you know," said Traisi.

The program is called Coats for Cubs and was started by the Humane Society. It's taking off all across the country. Here's how it works: you can donate used fur coats to places like the Buffalo Exchange in Glendale.

"It's awesome. We love it. We encourage people to come in all the time<' said Monika Declay of the Buffalo Exchange.

"They're such a tragedy to begin with, because of the way the animals are processed and killed, skinned for the fur -- that's a done deal," said Traisi. "But now that people have come to their senses and see how cruel it is, the fact that we can use them for the babies kind of atones for that in some way."

So the fur coat comes full circle and helps sick and injured animals feel just a little more comfy.

For more information about Coats for Cubs, click here.

Click here for more headlines from ABC7 Eyewitness News