Photo Credit: ALEXANDRA LEVINSON
BY JESSICA WEAVER
Bright pink, blue, and florescent green can be seen highlighting girls hair all through Cooper City High School due to the latest hair accessory. It is has become obvious that feather hair clips are a trend that is growing in popularity. Even celebrities like Ke$ha and Miley Cyrus have become a part of this new feather craze. However, little do people know that this popular hair accessory is the cause of rooster genocide.
The Seattle Times published a report that stated that these unique accessories are derived from a natural resource: roosters. The report states that rooster farms have been unable to keep up with the demand for the feathers, and with the demand for feathers increasing, so is the death rate of these innocent birds.
Originally, these feathers were only used by fly fisherman as bait. Now, ever since the feather clip trend began, salons have been buying the feathers from tackle and bait shops. Many people have the opinion that if the birds are being killed for the use of their feathers by fishermen, then what’s the harm in using them as hair accessories? According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), in 2010, only 125,000 roosters were killed a year for their feathers. However, due to the overwhelming feather demand, 1,500 roosters now die monthly per farm. The present demand is leaving fly fisherman without bait and farms without roosters.
The feathers normally run anywhere from $40 to $60. However, because of the mass killing of roosters, the feathers are becoming scarce, bringing up the cost of to about $480. It is no wonder, though, that these feathers are so costly, since they are only taken from the rear of the rooster and take approximately a year to grow. Unfortunately, to get these feathers, the roosters must die.
Why would someone pay such a high cost for a simple hair accessory when it contributes to the murder of these poor roosters? People should be aware of the rooster genocide, and they should not purchase feathers, or for those of you that can’t do without, purchase artificial ones. The artificial feathers are altered to look exactly like the real deal and the best part is they don’t result in the death of a rooster.
For those feather clip fanatics who were not aware of the mass killing that this trend is causing, you should not feel guilty, because the feathers do not come with a label stating where they come from, nor does the label explain the fate of the rooster that provides these beautiful hair decorations. By spreading this awareness we can end this trend and save the roosters.
