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  • Black Market Pet Trade: A Special Photoshoot Championing Rescued Animals

    December 12, 2019 3 min read

    woman wearing faux fur petting serval

    Featuring residents of the Animal Tracks Sanctuary

    ABOUT THE SHOOT

    The purpose of this very special photoshoot is to raise awareness for animals that have been rescued from the black-market pet trade as well as raise awareness for sustainable alternatives to real fur. People often make unsuccessful attempts to domesticate exotic animals—removing these lovely creatures from their natural habitats, only to find that they don’t make for good household pets. Because they are in fact wild animals, it’s difficult to provide the proper diet and nutritional needs to keep them healthy. Not to mention, their natural behavior is often erratic and likely to end up damaging furniture or other prized possessions. Once owners realize these animals can’t be properly domesticated and are difficult to maintain, they often seek to either euthanize the animals or release them back into the wild; where they simply don’t know how to fend for themselves after being uprooted from their homes for most of their lives.

    On November 6, 2019, Animal Tracks Inc. welcomed SpiritHoods to their animal sanctuary for a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only interact with their beloved animal residents but photograph them in the most loving and creative way. Everything was planned and organized to ensure proper accommodations were made for the animals—allowing us to shoot in the most humane way possible. A very special thank you to Animal Tracks Inc. for all that they do to help neglected animals as well as each and every one of their staff who stayed with their animals throughout the shoot to ensure their safety and comfort.

    ABOUT ANIMAL TRACKS INC.

    Animal Tracks strives to educate the public through outreach and up-close animal encounters while providing a safe and happy home for animals that can't be returned to their natural habitats. The Animal Tracks Sanctuary is home to over 30 animal residents—many of whom were illegally sold on the black market and kept as exotic pets by people who didn’t understand how to care for them, often causing devastating consequences to the animal’s wellbeing. Today, these lovely animals get to live in habitats created just for them with proper nutrition, excellent health care, loving interaction, and the ability to roam the grounds.

    AND NOW, FOR SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS YOU'VE EVER SEEN...

    woman wearing faux fur coat while holding baby fox
    DOBBY the Fennec Fox
    woman wearing purple faux fur coat with flower headband standing next to wolf
    RAIDER the Wolf
    woman wearing faux fur coat while petting serval
    MONZO the Serval
    woman in faux fur shawl sitting on wooden bench next to baboon while wearing long gown
    person wearing faux fur shawl sitting next to baboon
    CHRISSY the Baboon
    woman wearing faux fur coat sitting next to kangaroo
    BELLA the Kangaroo
    woman wearing faux fur with Capuchin Monkeys sitting on her
    woman posing with Capuchin Monkey wearing gown and faux fur coat
    MARLEY, MACI, and HALEY the Capuchin Monkeys
    woman wearing gold gown and faux fur coat holding alligator
    SNAGGLETOOTH the Alligator
    woman in teal gown lying on bench wearing faux fur coat petting a skunk
    LITTLE BEAR the Skunk
    woman in gold gown wearing faux fur black coat with foot over Porcupine
    QUILLEMINA the Porcupine
    woman wearing faux fur lavender coat holding lemur
    Télo the Lemur

    ABOUT SPIRITHOODS

    SpiritHoods is the original manufacturer and leading designer of animal-inspired fake fur apparel, headwear, and home goods. We’ve stayed committed to helping save endangered animals by donating 10% of net profits and working intimately with nonprofit partners like Animal Tracks Inc., Pandas International, Panthera, Polar Bears International, Predator Defense, and the Snow Leopard Conservancy on various giveback campaigns (e.g. raising awareness and funds via special charity auctions, exclusive releases with 100% of profits donated, etc.). 

    Sanctuary residents we photographed:

    NameLITTLE BEAR
    Species
    : Skunk
    Rescue Date: N/A

    NameRAIDER
    Species: 
    Wolf
    Rescue Date: 
    N/A

    NameTélo 
    Species: Lemur
    Rescue Date: Sept. 3, 2018
    Télo the Lemur was sold on the black market and was unfortunately paralyzed as a result of neglect and inadequate care. Thankfully, Animal Tracks Inc. was able to rescue Télo and welcomed him to the sanctuary in 2018. 

    NameMARLEY
    Species: Capuchin Monkey
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016

    NameMACI
    Species: Capuchin Monkey
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016

    NameHALEY
    Species: Capuchin Monkey
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016 

    NameCHRISSY
    Species: Baboon
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016 

    NameDOBBY
    Species: Fennec Fox
    Rescue Date: Jan. 3, 2017 

    NameMONZO
    Species: Serval
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016
    Monzo the Serval was sold on the black market pet trade and was declawed as a result. Declawing a Serval is an extremely cruel act as these felines need their claws to function in the wild (not to mention, declawing a Serval is like a human having their fingers cut in half). 

    NameBELLA
    Species: Kangaroo
    Rescue Date: May 19, 2016 

    Name: Capuccino, Latte, Tomina, Wynona Glider
    Species: Sugar Gliders
    Rescue Date: N/A

    NameQUILLIE EILISH
    Species: Porcupine
    Rescue Date: Jan. 3, 2017 

    NameSNAGGLETOOTH
    Species: Alligator
    Rescue Date: Jan. 3, 2017 

    See the full list of Animal Tracks Residents.

    And special thanks to our models who did AMAZING with these lovely animals!

    women doing photoshoot wearing faux fur

    HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

    Learn more about the Animal Tracks Sanctuary

    Donate to Animal Tracks

    PLENTY OF PEOPLE MADE THIS POSSIBLE, BUT SPECIAL THANKS TO:

    @AnimalTracksInc

    @SpiritHoods

    @LatifHeart

    @Warriorandthegypsy

    @XOBloom