PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) donated 100 fur coats to homeless women in Detroit Monday.
The organization who holds firmly to its anti-fur stance made an exception for women in need.
“There’s nothing we can do to give these animals their lives back or change the way they were cruelly treated or the manner in which they died so the best option is to give the coats to someone to keep them warm,” PETA spokeswoman Ashley Byrne told The Detroit News.
Detroit and Newark, NJ were selected by the organization as this winter’s fur coat donation locations. Monday’s program was held at the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries.
“Thank you, Jesus,” Yvette Pierre, one of the fur recipients, said to The Detroit News. “I’m going to give it to mother for Christmas. I want to be able to bless her. I’d rather give it to her.”
“I got me a short, black mink jacket and it’s beautiful,” Cheryl Willis told a local CBS affiliate. “I’m blessed to have it, it’s really beautiful.”
While the women were extremely thankful, some shared that they will not wear it too often, for fear of it being stolen.
Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @Carrieheals.