What is wrong with wool?
Sheep in nature grow just enough wool to protect themselves from the cold weather. Sheep raised for wool in Australia, however, are bred to have huge wrinkles so they produce more wool. The additional weight from the wool causes misery during the summer months. Many die from heat exhaustion. In the winter about one million sheep die in Australia each year from exposure if the temperatures drop after shearing. The wrinkles in the skin also make sheep susceptible to fly strikes on certain parts of the body. To prevent this, the coat and skin are cut away from around the sheep’s anus without anesthesia, a procedure called mulesing. Another painful procedure is castration, which is also performed on male sheep without anesthesia. Another problem is mass production requirements. Sheep shearers are paid by the sheep, not by the hour, so they shear at a fast pace. Many sheep emerge from shearing with painful and severe cuts and abrasions. Some die as a result of their injuries because they do
