Germany shuts down its last fur farm

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Wildlife

Germany shuts down its last fur farm

5 April 2019
News
The Rahden-based farm “now stands empty,” according to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), signaling the end of fur production in yet another EU country.

In 2017, Germany’s government passed legislation that brought a ban to fur farms across the country. PETA credits its heavy campaigning efforts, petitions, protests, and anti-fur ads for helping push the legislation through into law.

“Germany’s last fur farms will close down after a five-year transition. The new bill demands stricter regulations governing fur farming and will effectively make the raising of minks non-viable for farmers,”PETA noted. “Fur farming bans and stricter regulations that inevitably cause facilities to close are becoming increasingly widespread.”

The legislation brought Germany in step with the UK, which introduced a ban in 2000, and Austria, which went fur-free in 2004.

According to PETA, the German farmer shut down ahead of the 2022 deadline as he was struggling under government pressure and frequent, unannounced inspections. He said he also felt the weight of activist pressures — PETA has been campaigning strongly in the country for more than two decades.