Jointly with Fur Free Alliance and Respect for Animals, ISPCA highlighted the necessity for a ban based on animal welfare, ethical and moral grounds. The timing couldn’t be better as the campaign is backed by the overwhelming public support for a ban and the Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill recently introduced in the Dáil by Solidarity TD, Deputy Ruth Coppinger.

Every year more than 150,000 minks are killed for their fur in the three remaining Irish fur farms. Down from five in 2009, fur farms in Ireland have been going out of business, thus confirming the story of other European countries where successful fur farming bans showed no negative economic impact and where farms were provided with compensations, phase-out strategies and opportunities to diversify their businesses.

Backed with strong economic arguments and public support (80% of Irish citizens think that farming and killing of animals for their fur is unacceptable), Deputy Ruth added that the cruelty of fur farms is even greater because minks are not domesticated animals and deeply fear humans.

According to ISPCA, minks, the only species currently reared in fur factory farms in Ireland, are active wide-ranging carnivores and inherently unsuitable to be kept in wire mesh battery cages. The battery cage system deprives animals of the opportunity to express their natural behaviours causing immense animal suffering. Dr Andrew Kelly, ISPCA CEO said: “There is overwhelming scientific evidence that fur farming is cruel. Minks are essentially wild animals and keeping them in small cages in which they are deprived of the ability to express their normal behaviours such as swimming and foraging is not acceptable.”

He added that it’s Ireland’s turn now to call on the national government to end this inhumane practice. ‘Many EU member states have already adopted legislation to prohibit or limit fur farming. We want Ireland to put an end to this barbaric practice which should be consigned to the dustbin of history!’

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