New Poll: 71% of Americans Say Wool Is Just as Cruel to Animals as Fur
New Poll: 71% of Americans Say Wool Is as Cruel as Fur | PETA Close Mobile Menu PETA Donate Now Search Help Animals Urgent Alerts Our Campaigns Action Team Activist Guide Get Active Online Leaflets & Stickers News Features Videos Adoptable Animals Rescue Stories Investigations Investigations & Rescue Fund Report Cruelty to Animals Animal Rights Issues Animals Used for Experimentation Food Clothing Entertainment Companion Animals Wildlife Lifestyle Lifestyle 101 Personal Care & Fashion Food & Health Recipes Parents Humane Home Entertainment Animal Companions Students peta2 PETA Kids TeachKind Shop PETA SHOP Cruelty-Free Database Literature PETA Shopping Guide PETA-Approved Vegan PETA Presents About Our Story Our Views Victories Milestones Volunteer Work at PETA Intern FAQ Contact Us PETA Global Donate Now Donate Now Vanguard Society Tribute More Ways to Support Membership Services Gifts in Wills Corporate Partnerships Report Cruelty to Animals Skip to Content Menu PETA Donate Now Open Search People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Report Cruelty to Animals Animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. Help Animals Urgent Alerts Our Campaigns Action Team Activist Guide Get Active Online Leaflets & Stickers News Features Videos Adoptable Animals Rescue Stories Investigations Investigations & Rescue Fund Report Cruelty to Animals Animal Rights Issues Animals Used for Experimentation Food Clothing Entertainment Companion Animals Wildlife Lifestyle Lifestyle 101 Personal Care & Fashion Food & Health Recipes Parents Humane Home Entertainment Animal Companions Students peta2 PETA Kids TeachKind Shop PETA SHOP Cruelty-Free Database Literature PETA Shopping Guide PETA-Approved Vegan PETA Presents About Our Story Our Views Victories Milestones Volunteer Work at PETA Intern FAQ Contact Us PETA Global Donate Now Donate Now Vanguard Society Tribute More Ways to Support Membership Services Gifts in Wills Corporate Partnerships Search Search Close Search Help Animals Urgent Alerts Our Campaigns Action Team Activist Guide Get Active Online Leaflets & Stickers News Features Videos Adoptable Animals Rescue Stories Investigations Investigations & Rescue Fund Report Cruelty to Animals Animal Rights Issues Animals Used for Experimentation Food Clothing Entertainment Companion Animals Wildlife Lifestyle Lifestyle 101 Personal Care & Fashion Food & Health Recipes Parents Humane Home Entertainment Animal Companions Students peta2 PETA Kids TeachKind Shop PETA SHOP Cruelty-Free Database Literature PETA Shopping Guide PETA-Approved Vegan PETA Presents About Our Story Our Views Victories Milestones Volunteer Work at PETA Intern FAQ Contact Us PETA Global Donate Now Donate Now Vanguard Society Tribute More Ways to Support Membership Services Gifts in Wills Corporate Partnerships Search Features Videos Adoptable Animals Rescue Stories Home / News / New Poll: 71% of Americans Say Wool Is Just as Cruel to Animals as Fur New Poll: 71% of Americans Say Wool Is Just as Cruel to Animals as Fur Share Share on Facebook Post Share on X Share Share on LinkedIn Published October 1, 2026 by Elena Waldman . 3 min read Fur has become synonymous with cruelty to animals. Now, wool is facing the same scrutiny it deserves. In a survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of PETA, 71% of U.S. adults agreed that, from an animal-welfare perspective, raising and slaughtering animals for wool is just as cruel as raising and slaughtering animals for fur . The findings come on the heels of PETA’s headline-making protest at the COS runway show during New York Fashion Week and suggest that consumers are recognizing that sheep suffer for wool . What Happens to Sheep in the Wool Industry? Sheep are gentle, social individuals who form close bonds with one another. They seek out friends, look out for their companions, and have distinct personalities—some are bold and curious, while others are more cautious. Yet the wool industry treats sheep as little more than wool-producing machines. PETA Asia recently documented workers at a NATIVA-certified wool operation kicking and stomping on sheep , dragging lambs by their legs, and leaving sheep with gaping wounds after shearing. The farm sold wool through a contracted supplier connected to COS’s parent company, H&M Group. And this wasn’t an isolated exposé. PETA entities have documented cruelty at more than 150 wool-industry operations around the world, repeatedly exposing workers beating and kicking sheep, cutting them during shearing, and sending them to slaughter when they no longer produce enough wool to be considered “profitable.” PETA Takes the Message to New York Fashion Week PETA took that message straight to the runway. On September 13, advocates disrupted COS’ New York Fashion Week show, calling attention to sheep who suffer in the wool industry and urging H&M Group to stop se