12 September 2024

“Fact-finding” visits to fur farms in Poland are being conducted this week by auditors of the European Commission, as part of the process in which an EU-wide ban on such farms is being considered.

This visit by the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety comes as a result of the European Citizens’ Initiative Fur Free Europe, in which 1.5 million European citizens called for a ban on fur farms and the sale of farmed fur products in the EU.

On fur farms, animals such as mink, foxes, chinchillas and racoon dogs are kept in tiny cages, hindered from displaying natural behaviour and killed solely for an unnecessary fashion product: fur. 

Under no circumstances, can the welfare of animals on fur farms be protected and a ban should be the only way forward. As a highly polluting industry, fur farming and processing also pose serious threats to biodiversity and public health. 20 member states have already implemented total bans, partial bans or other legislative measures on fur farming, however the EU is still set to give its final decision on an EU-wide ban.

During the visit, the auditors will be primarily focusing on the public health and zoonotic disease risks posed by such farms, after several fur farms in Europe were affected by Covid-19 and avian influenza in recent years, including Poland. Besides evaluating the implementation of the One Health mechanism on Polish fur farms,  the audits may also include an evaluation of the welfare of farmed animals.

Although the auditors’ visits from the European Commission are announced, I am confident that the evaluation of fur farms in Poland will be negative. The welfare of foxes and minks is shockingly poor and will not go unnoticed by the visitors. As for public health risks, this issue has been ignored by the fur industry and disregarded by the Ministry of Agriculture, so we also expect a negative assessment from the auditors.

Paweł Rawicki, President, Otwarte Klatki

Apart from the undeniable animal welfare issues inherent to fur farms, the fact-finding visits conducted by the European Commission to fur farms in certain Member States are highly relevant. The connection between fur farming and the spread of zoonotic diseases must not be overlooked, especially in the context of preventing future pandemics. Given the non-essential nature of fur products, and in line with the One Health approach — essential for anticipating, preventing, detecting, and controlling diseases that transmit between animals and humans — it is unlikely that proportionate justifications can be found to continue legitimising this industry in the EU.

Bethania Malmberg, Programme Officer Fur Animals, Eurogroup for Animals

With over 300 farms keeping 3.4 million animals, Poland is currently the largest fur producer in the EU. Earlier this year, a bill was presented by a Polish MP for a national ban, yet this is still set to be deliberated in Parliament.

Regards Mark

Here we go again – World, get prepared for another lockdown.  The Utterly Cruel Chinese Are At It Yet Again. 

Researchers scoured for viruses in the lungs, intestines and other tissues of 461 individual fur animals that were found dead due to disease across China. They identified 125 virus species, including 36 that were novel and 39 at potentially-high risk of crossing the species barrier, including spilling over to infect humans. 

Raccoon dogs and mink, valued for their soft pelts, carried the highest number of potentially dangerous viruses, according to the research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

China dominates the trade, accounting for over 80% of global fur production, with pelts from around 27 million animals turned into high-end garments in 2021.

Notably, 19 potentially high-risk viruses were detected in the northeastern province of Shandong, which contains many fur animal farms. The findings revealed potential virus transmission between farmed animals and wild animals, and from humans to farmed animals, indicating that fur farming represents an important transmission hub for viruses that risk causing disease in people.

Lots More Reading About This:

Dozens of new viruses are emerging from Chinese fur farms (msn.com)

China Fur Farms Harbor Deadly Viruses: Study Uncovers MERS-Related Virus and High-Risk Influenza Strains, Sparking Pandemic Fears (ibtimes.sg)

 Pandemic Fears as Dozens of ‘High Risk’ Viruses Found in China’s Fur Farms (msn.com)

Virus Risk: 125 Found in China’s Fur Farms, 39 Pose High Threat to Humans | NewsTrack English 1 (newstracklive.com)

Fears fresh pandemic outbreak could spark in China’s fur farms (msn.com)

Potential Outbreak-Causing Viruses Found in China’s Fur Animals – BNN Bloomberg

Viruses detected in China’s fur farm animals, including seven types of coronaviruses (alarabiya.net)

Regards Mark

Dozens of viruses – some of which have the potential to spill over into humans – have been detected mixing in animals at fur farms in China, sparking news fears of a fresh pandemic outbreak, researchers have said.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists have been warning that farming mammals such as minks for their fur could make it easier for new viruses to cross over from the wild and spark fresh outbreaks.

Virologist Edward Holmes, who has led research into Covid-19, told AFP he felt that the global fur farming industry ‘is one most likely ways by which a new pandemic will start’.

Continue – https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/medical/fears-fresh-pandemic-outbreak-could-spark-in-china-s-fur-farms/ar-AA1pZJPe?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=b9c8b1438cef4a7194645ec212a31261&ei=94

Regards Mark

Dozens of viruses – some of which have the potential to spill over into humans – have been detected mixing at fur farms in China. Pictured: foxes and mink on a fur farm in China

2 September 2024

Animalia

Oikeutta eläimille / We Animals Media

In Finland, one of Europe’s major fur producing countries, farms are downsizing and closing at a rapid rate. Over the last 5 years, mink production has declined by 50%, whilst fox farming has collapsed even more sharply at 68%.

New statistics on 2023 from the Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association, analysed by Animalia, have confirmed that the industry is in a steep decline.

In 2023, there was only one mink farm producing more than 10,000 pelts, compared to 11 such farms the previous year. There were six fox farms producing more than 10,000 pelts, compared to 8 in 2022, and 20 in 2019. Most mink are raised on farms producing fewer than 500 pelts annually, indicating that mink farming is a side business. Foxes, on the other hand, are mostly raised on farms with 3,000–10,000 animals.

22% fewer foxes and 4% fewer mink were born on fur farms. Over the last 5 years, mink production has declined by 50%, whilst fox farming has dropped by 68%.

The actual number of furs produced last year is significantly lower than expected from the rate of births, as nearly half a million fur animals were culled and destroyed in the autumn of 2023 due to avian influenza.

The few remaining farms are not financially viable. The average sale price of blue fox pelts was down 13% from the previous year. The production cost of a fox pelt currently exceeds the sales profit, and results in a loss of up to 50 euros per animal for the farmer. The average price of a mink pelt also declined by 2% from the previous year. 

Following the mass culling of mink on Finnish fur farms due a bird flu outbreak in 2023, farmers received over 50 million euros of public funds in compensation, increasing scrutiny over the industry’s economic value.

Employment provided by the industry has halved in five years, undermining the social argument for propping up production. 

In an opinion poll conducted by Animalia and Oikeutta Eläimille in 2023, 83% of Finns believed that fur farming should either be banned or that animals should be given significantly more space and opportunities to engage in species-specific behaviour. 

The new statistics support the argument for a Fur Free Europe, as proposed by the successful European Citizens’ Initiative.

Regards Mark

Fur industry in Bulgaria loses court case against mink ban

12 July 2024

CAAI

The Administrative Court of Sofia City has supported the ban on the import and breeding of American mink in Bulgaria, following an appeal by the only operating mink farm in the country.

Read more about the decision here (in Bulgarian).

The legal process was started in 2022, a few months after the Minister of Environment and Waters issued an order banning the import and breeding of American mink, the species of mink farmed for its fur. This non-native species can negatively impact biodiversity, and even drive some native animal species to extinction: a view supported by more than 100 scientists and experts, who submitted opinions in support of the mink ban over the course of the case.

The mink fur farm which appealed this order has a breeding capacity of about 130,000 American mink. During its years of operation, over 100 mink have escaped – and that’s just on official record. The disruption this has caused has been wide-ranging, with complaints of mink attacks on domestic animals, the impacts of this invasive species on native habitats, and records showing mink having travelled as far as 30km away from where they first escaped.

Mink farming is terrible for animal welfare

Fur farms have also drawn public wrath for the cruel conditions in which the animals are raised and killed. 

Minks are kept in narrow and dirty wire cages and, in order to preserve the integrity of their fur, are killed in gas chambers. That these conditions are unacceptable is a view shared by a huge number of European citizens, with over 1.5 million signatures collected for the “Fur Free Europe” ECI, now pending a response from the European Commission. 

In 2021, during an inspection of the abovementioned mink farm, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food reported a number of biosecurity violations, unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, decomposing animal carcasses, and mink escaping from their cages.

Learn more on our member CAAI’s website here. 

We welcome the completely fair decision of the court to reject the appeal of the mink breeders. In recent years, scientists have proven that the invasive nature of the American mink is a serious threat to local biodiversity. In addition, the American mink is the species in which significant susceptibility to infection with various zoonoses is noted.

Petya Altimirska, Chair of CAAI (Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry)

Regards Mark

 See also https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2024/07/09/bulgaria-fur-industry-in-bulgaria-loses-court-case-against-mink-ban/

News from Mark and the crew at Respect for Animals, Nottingham England.

Fur industry in Bulgaria loses court case against mink ban | Respect for Animals

Latest news:  NEWS | Respect for Animals

Fur industry in Bulgaria loses court case against mink ban

The Sofia City Administrative Court rejected the mink farm’s

The Sofia City Administrative Court rejected the mink farm’s appeal against the order issued by the Ministry of Environment and Water to ban the import and breeding of the “American mink” species in Bulgaria. The court’s decision can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court.

The Administrative Court of Sofia City has issued a decision on the case regarding the ban on the import and breeding of American mink in Bulgaria. The court accepted as groundless the appeal of the only operating mink fur farm in Bulgaria. The legal process was started in 2022, a few months after the Minister of Environment and Waters issued an order banning the import and breeding of the “American Mink” species. The reason for the order is the danger this invasive, non-native species poses to biodiversity.

American mink (the species farmed for its fur) can negatively impact native animal species and even drive some to extinction. Behind this opinion stand more than 100 scientists and experts who submitted opinions in support of the ban on the import and breeding of American mink. Their support for the ban was strongly expressed during the course of the case.

The mink fur farm near the village of Mazherito, Stara Zagora, has a breeding capacity of about 130,000 American mink. Over the years of operation of the farm, official recordings have been filed about over 100 escaped animals. The number of unrecorded mink escapes is unknown. Complaints of mink attacks on domestic animals are a common problem that torments the local residents living near the farm. There are images and video shots of mink being run over by cars on the road, as well as of animals walking around the center of the city of Stara Zagora. The invasive mammal was also spotted in the river near the town of Galabovo, 30 km from the farm.

As well as endangering biodiversity, fur farms have drawn public wrath for the cruel conditions in which the animals are raised and killed. Minks are kept in narrow and dirty wire cages and, in order to preserve the integrity of their fur, they are killed in gas chambers. In 2021, during an inspection of the mink farm near the village of Mazherito, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food reported a number of biosecurity violations, unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, decomposing carcasses of dead animals, as well as mink escaped from their cages.

“We welcome the completely fair decision of the court to reject the appeal of the mink breeders. In recent years, scientists have proven that the invasive nature of the “American mink” is a serious threat to local biodiversity. In addition, the American mink is the species in which significant susceptibility to infection with various zoonoses is noted. Last year, an outbreak of COVID-19 occurred among the minks on the farm near Stara Zagora. Recently, bird flu has become increasingly common in mink farms too. Similar outbreaks in other countries have caused fur farms to be closed. This is how cruel and completely unnecessary activity is being stopped,” said Petya Altimirska, chair of CAAI (Campaigns and Activism for Animals in the Industry), which since 2017 has been campaigning for the ban of fur farms in Bulgaria.

The mink breeders have the right to appeal the decision within 14 days of its announcement before the Supreme Administrative Court.

A possible loss in the second instance would practically end the existence of mink farms in Bulgaria.

Attached links

Link to the Sofia City Administrative Court’s decision (in Bulgarian)

Queen Camilla pledges not to buy any more fur in latest Palace move away from animal products – after foie gras banned, holy oil for anointing the King was ‘cruelty-free’ and Coronation roll produced on paper for the first time.

Getty Images

Queen Camilla has pledged not to buy any more fur products in the latest move by Buckingham Palace to not use animal products. 

The Palace sent a letter with ‘the Queen’s warmest wishes’ to the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) which vowed Camilla ‘will not procure any new fur garments’.

The animal-rights group toasted the news with a glass of the finest claret and its managing director Ingrid Newkirk said: ‘It’s right and proper for the British monarchy to reflect British values by recognising that fur has no place in our society.’

Continue reading at:

Queen Camilla pledges not to buy any more fur in latest Palace move away from animal products – after foie gras banned, holy oil for anointing the King was ‘cruelty-free’ and Coronation roll produced on paper for the first time | Daily Mail Online

China Cat Torture Actions:

China: Cat Torture – London Protest May 21st 2024. Piccadilly Circus – Chinatown, Then On To Chinese Embassy. – World Animals Voice

China: Cat Torture – X STORM – Wednesday 22nd May 2024. – World Animals Voice