Totally unacceptable, horrible and backwards: Government wants to continue mink farming
No animal should be exploited
I Dyrenes Alliance tror vi på, at alle dyr fortjener frihed og rettigheder. Derfor er vi stærkt berørte og forfærdede over, at regeringen nu har besluttet, at minkavl fortsat skal være lovligt i Danmark.
Keeping and killing millions of predators in small wire cages on fur factory farms for a non-essential fashion product is both cruel and outdated. Fur farming will never be compatible with good animal welfare and it's time to stop fur farming.
Fur farms not only cause enormous animal suffering, they are also an environmental disaster and pose a serious threat to human health.
The disastrous corona killing
Most people remember the great mink scandal. Denmark was the world's leading exporter of mink skins when the Danish government decided to cull the country's more than 15 million mink in 2020 due to a suspected corona mutation in the animals.
It was the hope of many animal rights activists that the mink would take the fur industry with them to their graves - but unfortunately, it turns out otherwise.
After the culling of mink, the Danish government temporarily banned fur farming until 2021. Based on recommendations from the Center for Treatment of Infectious Diseases, the government decided to extend the ban on fur farming until 2022. But now it will be legal to keep mink in Denmark again.
Det er vi i Dyrenes Alliance stærkt imod. Og vi er ikke alene.
Flere danske dyrerettighedsgrupper og partier ser gerne at der bliver sat et permanent punktum for pelsdyravl.
This is mainly from an animal ethics perspective, but several outbreaks of coronavirus on mink farms have shown the public health risks stemming from a lack of animal health that can arise from fur production. As concerns about animal welfare grow, 17 other European countries have already acted to ban the breeding of animals for their fur.
The fur industry
Denmark used to be the world's largest exporter of mink fur, and the auction house Kopenhagen Fur is the world's largest, supplying skins primarily to China and Hong Kong.
However, revenues in the fur industry have been steadily declining in recent years - and Kopenhagen Fur has declared that within the next few years it will close permanently.
Due to ethical and environmental concerns from consumers, the internationally recognized fashion magazine Vogue reports how "an increasing number of luxury brands and retailers are banning fur and exotic skins."
These consumers can be inspired by the countless animal rights organizations around the world that are fighting to raise awareness of the inherently cruel and unethical nature of the fur industry. The International Anti Fur Coalition has more than 50 member organizations supporting an end to fur farming.
Humane Society International claims how "animals bred for their fur (. . .) are confined in small, barren wire cages their entire lives. Unable to express their basic natural behaviors ( . . .) these naturally active and curious animals have been shown to display the stereotypical behaviors of mental distress, such as repetitive movements and circling inside their cages."
And the pressure from NGOs has had an effect. In recent decades, more than 20 countries have severely restricted or banned fur farming altogether, while Israel as well as a number of US states and cities have banned all sales of real fur.
Unfortunately, Denmark is not following suit. We are completely unsympathetic to this, and we are very concerned about the government's decision.
Help the animals: The minks need you
Although the latest news is very sad and a big setback for Danish animal welfare, we never give up fighting for a fur-free Europe!
We will be holding various protests and demonstrations around Denmark that you can participate in. You can find an overview of upcoming events here.
It has never been more obvious that the fur industry is not for the future, so now is the time to fight for an EU ban.
Together we can achieve our goals, but the minks need YOUR signature. Sign and read more about the European Citizens' Initiative addressed directly to the European Commission here*.
* Note: There used to be a link, but the petition has ended. Instead, you can support our fight against fur farming by making a donation here.
There is momentum for a fur ban in the EU. 12 EU countries have called on the Commission to work towards a ban. In addition, the Commission is already in the process of a comprehensive review of EU animal welfare legislation, which is an obvious opportunity to relegate the European fur industry to the history books.
Conclusion: The future of the fur industry
So is there a future for the fur industry? No, there is not!
The decision on whether or not the mink ban should be permanent has a huge impact on both Denmark's reputation abroad and the lives of millions of animals.
The fur trade shows all the signs of being a dying industry: a decline in consumer support, in sales and in income. That mink can spread serious diseases to humans for the price of a simple commodity should be the last straw for politicians.
Luxury goods can never justify an animal living its life in suffering and captivity.
Times are changing - and it's time for minks to keep their fur on! Want to speak out against fur and animal cruelty? Become part of the alliance.
