Posts Tagged ‘the Netherlands banning mink farming’

The Netherlands is Down on Fur

Thursday, December 20th, 2012

The Netherlands has just signed momentous legislation ending mink farming. With the Netherlands ranking as the third largest producer of mink fur, this is a huge landmark accomplishment for protecting animals against cruel treatment. The ban will take place starting in 2024.

The Netherlands is apparently ahead of the pack since they already ban farming of fox and chinchilla (it should be noted that the UK has banned fur farming since 2003 and Austria and Croatia have similar prohibitions). The Dutch farming industry has expanded from 3 million to approximately 6 million pelts per year, produced by 170 mink farms. It is indeed encouraging that, as Joanna Swabe, Humane Society International EU director notes, “…the majority of the Dutch senate has not allowed economics to prevail over ethics, recognizing that it is unacceptable and cruel to keep animals in small, wire cages to be killed for their fur…”

Hopefully other countries will follow and will ban the cruel treatment of caged animals for fur. How can you help? Refuse to buy mink, fox, or other animal furs.