Ireland's largest fur farm appears to have shut down ahead of an upcoming ban on cruel fur farming.
When activists from the National Animal Rights Association visited the fur farm near Stradbally in County Laois at the weekend, they witnessed empty cages.
The cages had previously confined thousands and thousands of mink. In the past, the unfortunate creatures could be seen frantically jumping against the bars of the cages in desperate attempts to get free. They paced back and forth and circled repeatedly but their only escape from the cages came on the day they were killed. They were mercilessly grabbed, pulled out and dumped into a box filled with poisonous Carbon Monoxide gas before the fur was pulled from their bodies.
The sight of the empty cages was hailed by NARA as "a great moment for animal rights in Ireland".
"We are thrilled to report that nature has taken over most of the sheds [which housed rows of cages], with weeds growing in and around them," NARA stated in a Facebook post. "A lot of the sheds were falling apart too, and not a mink in sight. The appalling stench that usually fills the air around there was gone too. We’ll never forget all the pain and suffering that went on there for decades."
Fur farming will finally be banned in Ireland in 2022. In June, the government approved the ban, with Fianna Fáil stating: “Ban on fur farming in Ireland. A key commitment in the Programme for Government, the ban will come into effect next year.”
The Vasa fur farm in Laois was one of three remaining fur farm hellholes, the others being in Kerry and Donegal. An estimated 120,000 mink were cruelly caged every year and gassed to death.
Watch NARA's video at
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4394739463882695&id=161221517234532
ACTION ALERT
The upcoming Animal Health and Welfare (Fur farming) Bill 2020 will apply to cats, chinchillas, dogs, foxes, mink and weasels (including stoats). However, rabbits - cruelly farmed for their fur in other countries - are not on the list. Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue has said that “the inclusion of rabbits in this list is being considered.”
It is vital that rabbits are included to prevent any possible rabbit farming activities materialising in Ireland in the future.
Join us in urging Minister McConalogue to add rabbits to the list.
Charlie McConalogue
Minister for Agriculture
Tel: 01 618 3199 or 01 607 2000
Email: minister@agriculture.gov.ie; charlie.mcconalogue@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharlieMcConalogue
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@McConalogue
SAMPLE LETTER
(If you have time, please write your own personal letter)
Dear Minister McConalogue
I am writing to ask you to please include rabbits in the list of animals covered by the Animal Health and Welfare (Fur farming) Bill 2020.
Rabbit fur farming subjects these timid creatures to a life of misery in cages and a brutal killing.
Please act to ensure that the upcoming ban on fur farming in Ireland includes rabbits.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
[Name/Location]
SEE ALSO:
Cabinet approves introduction of legislation to ban fur farming
https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2021/0622/1229593-politics-ireland/
Victims of Ireland's cruel fur farming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=artr7qwCLLk
Mink screaming: Tell Irish Government to shut down fur farms
https://youtu.be/62P0saq6DO0
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
Paul Murphy TD asks Agriculture Minister about “plans for banning fur farming”
https://www.facebook.com/banbloodsports/posts/3997668440348684
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/