We have news. Big news. Throughout the month of December, a generous donor has offered to match new monthly donations made to Open Cages.

For every new monthly donation of £8 or more, we will get a bonus gift of £20 to put towards taking down the fur industry in Europe.

What does this mean? It means that – right now – you have a one-off opportunity to max out your impact for animals. You can take that opportunity right now by clicking here.

But if you want to learn more about what we’re doing and why – and hear from our adorable campaign mascot – then read on!

Why is this important?

The fur industry in Europe is on the brink of total collapse. You may have already heard this; in the last few weeks, coverage of the industry’s failings has been pretty easy to come by.

We’ve seen fur bans beckon in Poland and Estonia; mutant COVID cases afflicting Danish mink; people and governments across the world waking up to the cruelty of this out-dated industry.

The fur industry is under more pressure than ever before. Years of campaigning, some shocking investigations, and the pandemic have combined to create a perfect storm.

Open Cages is committed to taking down the fur industry – and now, at last, the end is in sight. We need to seize the moment – and every new animal lover who joins the fight will help take us closer to victory.

What will my donation achieve?

Open Cages has been fighting the fur industry for years. And in that time, we’ve achieved a lot: from exposing fur farming cruelty in the media, to working with MPs towards a ban on fur sales in the UK.

Your December gift to us will go towards pushing for that fur sales ban in the UK. Your donation will fund investigators who can visit fur farms in Europe and expose the cruelty. Ultimately, your donation will bring us closer to a total, permanent shut down of the fur industry.

If you want to be part of this historic moment, there’s never been a better time to join. Click here to give now.

Who is Maciek?

And finally, I now present the story of how one little fox plans to take down the industry that hurt him – with a little help from Open Cages.

Maciek loves his new home.

Maciek was rescued from a fur farm last year. When Open Cages investigators found him, he was cold, scared and in pain.

Seeing the little fox, our investigators knew they had to take him to safety. They couldn’t take all the foxes they saw, but they could take this one – and give him a better life.

Maciek now lives with his rescuer in Poland. He lives a life that couldn’t be further from the fur farm horror he grew up with.

And for us at Open Cages, he is an inspiration. Our mascot. A constant reminder of what we’re fighting for. A reminder of what could be possible for all the poor, desperate animals trapped on fur farms – if only we could shut this industry down.

You’re going to see Maciek a lot over the next month – in our social media posts, and on our website. And whenever you see him, I want you to think of him as a symbol: of what kindness and generosity can achieve at this time of year. And a reminder that real fur can never be an ethical choice.

To help more foxes like Maciek, donate to the appeal today.

Signing off – for now

If you’d like to learn more about our end of year appeal, this site is a good place to start. We’ll also be posting updates to this blog throughout December, so stay tuned for those.

On behalf of all of Open Cages, we thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity – and hope that you enjoy the warmth, compassion and excitement of this time of year.