Estonia has become the latest country to ban fur farming, with politicians today voting to phase out the cruel activity over the next five years.
Estonia’s public broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) is reporting that Estonia is the first Baltic state to introduce a ban.
Members of Parliament voted to “prohibit the breeding and keeping of animals in Estonia solely or mainly for the purpose of obtaining fur”. The vote means that the keeping of mink and raccoon dogs in farms will be prohibited from 1st January, 2026.
In a report today, ERR quoted Annaliisa Post of animal welfare group, Loomus, as saying: “We have been working for this for years and we are extremely pleased that Estonia became the first Baltic state to ban fur farms. With this decision, we are setting an example both for neighbouring countries and in the wider world. No animal should suffer for human vanity and we are grateful to the members of the Riigikogu for making an animal-friendly decision.”
"It's a great day for thousands of animals who will be saved from a life of suffering thanks to Estonia passing this law,” Kristina Mering, the president of Anima International Estonia added. “The ban has been discussed three times before and has been rejected and finally we can celebrate a huge step forward."
Fur farming has already been banned in the UK, Austria, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Luxembourg, Serbia, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. Fur farming is being phased out in Belgium, France, Norway, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Here in Ireland, thousands of mink continue to suffer lives of misery in cages before, at six months of age, they are pulled out, thrown into a gassing box and poisoned to death before the fur is ripped from their bodies.
The Irish Government has pledged to ban fur farming but details of the ban have yet to be announced.
In April, Independent TD Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture when the promised ban on cruel fur farming will be introduced.
Responding, Minister Charlie McConalogue stated: “The Programme for Government 2020 contains a commitment regarding the prohibition of fur farming and Department officials have been working on appropriate steps to give effect to this. The Department is continuing to progress legislation in close consultation with other Government colleagues. The Bill will make it illegal for any new fur farms to be established and will provide for the closure of the small number of existing farm operations.“
VIDEOS:
Victims of Ireland's cruel fur farming
https://youtu.be/artr7qwCLLk
Mink screaming: Tell Irish Government to shut down fur farms
https://youtu.be/62P0saq6DO0
ACTION ALERT
Despite a commitment in the Programme for Government to ban fur farming, it still continues. Please join us in demanding an immediate closure of the country’s three remaining fur farms and a long overdue ban on this shameful activity.
Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: (01) 618 3199
Email: charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie; minister@agriculture.gov.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue
Micheál Martin, Taoiseach
Email: micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1–618 4350 or +353 (0)21-432 0088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD
Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste
Telephone: +353 (0)1-640 3133
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Tweet to: @LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar
Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan
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SEE ALSO:
A retired Irish fur farmer has revealed on the Claire Byrne show on RTE Radio 1 that fur farming was introduced into Ireland by two vets. Later in the show he admitted that he broke the necks of mink with his hands
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3439515122830688&id=463547953760768
Jennifer Whitmore TD urges Taoiseach to "move immediately to ban fur farming in Ireland”
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1142900706112158/
"We've drafted a bill to ban fur farming in Ireland": Congratulations to Solidarity TDs Ruth Coppinger and Paul Murphy on their announcement today (12 July 2018)
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/videos/1750869355028615/
80 per cent of people in Ireland believe fur farming should be banned, all the main parties (except Fine Gael) now support a ban and Veterinary Ireland have condemned fur farming as cruel - Listen to the Ruth Coppinger TD (Solidarity) interview on RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime today (17 June 2019). https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=194380304848086
The value of fur exports from Ireland has plummeted by over 80 per cent in the past six years, it has emerged https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/2258290974286448