Since PETA's inception in 1980, one of its primary aims has been to rid the world of fur garments harvested from animals. In the same way that police departments hold annual gun-buyback programs across the nation taking guns from people, no questions asked, in exchange for money or gift cards PETA started collecting fur clothing from reformed wearers in 1988. But what does one do with all that fur? PETA chose to hand out the coats to the homeless and ship them to Iraq. Newkirk's logic? "When the homeless are wearing fur, you know fur has hit rock bottom."