Irish Fur Farming: Time for a Ban, sample letter

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FROM ARAN & BAN FUR FARMING IN IRELAND

A group of Irish and International animal welfare organisations have joined forces in an effort to ensure this Irish government does not renege on the previous government’s policy of a phase out of fur farming. Organisations supporting this call include ARAN, Respect for Animals, Anima, and the international coalition of animal welfare groups opposed to fur farming, The Fur Free Alliance.

Mark Glover of Respect for Animals, the UK’s leading anti-fur organisation, said today: “Fur factory farming has been banned in Northern Ireland for nearly a decade, and the rest of the UK for over 11 years. These bans reflected public opinion and that the farming of animals for nothing other than their fur offended public morality. The Northern Ireland Assembly and Parliament of Westminster studied extensive evidence on the issue before concluding that only bans on this cruel practice could resolve the problem.

“With the very best intentions in the world, fur farmers cannot adequately provide for the welfare of mink on Irish fur farms,” says ARAN’s Campaign Director, John Carmody. “ This latest investigation shows that its business as usual on Irish fur farms and that this suffering must come to an end, nothing has changed since the previous coalition government’s pledge to ban fur farming back in 2010. Today there should be no need to cage and treat animals in such a manner”

“Fur breeding is not consistent with good agricultural practice and Britain is a better place without it, as Ireland could be.”

Mary-Anne Bartlett of Compassion in World Farming-Ireland said today: “At the time, Compassion in World Farming-Ireland very much welcomed the agreement to ban fur farming as a major step forward for animal welfare. We sincerely hope that the current government now puts this major reform in place without delay.”

Facts:

• The Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in its annual review 2009-2010 refers to the commitment to phase out fur farming over three years in the previous government’s Renewed Programme for Government.

• In 2001, the EU’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare concluded that, “current husbandry systems cause serious problems for all species of animals reared for fur…..”.

• The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, has established a Review Group to review all aspects of fur farming and is accepting submissions from interested parties until the end of the year with a view to making recommendations to government.

• A Private Members’ Bill to ban fur farming (Fur Farming Prohibition Bill 2004) was debated in the Dáil on 22 and 23 March 2005. Although the bill was defeated by the then government’s TDs 67 to 50, it won support from all opposition parties, including Fine Gael and The Labour Party.

• An opinion poll conducted in 2004 showed that 63% of people in Ireland agreed that fur farming should be banned, despite the fact that only 51% were aware that it took place.

• In 2010, 141,812 mink pelts were exported from Ireland, valued at 4.9 million Euro whilst 5,910 (444,000 Euro) were imported, showing net exports of 135,902.

• The North American Mink is an alien species to Ireland and mink attacks on wildlife and domestic animals are becoming increasingly frequent. In 2010, the Department of Agriculture planned to spend 60,000 Euro on the control of predators, including wild mink.

WHOM TO CONTACT

Please click on and write and send message HERE, click on TAKE ACTION

SAMPLE LETTER

To Whom It Concerns,

I am shocked to discover the savagery inherent in the  fur industry. Due to the malicious business of fur, any products derived from the suffering and killing of animals should be rejected, and I am respectfully requesting that until Ireland discontinues profiting off the exploitation of animals,  consumers and tourists will be likely to sever ties with you.  It is obvious that this cruelty cannot be regulated and only an outright ban will ensure animals are not barbarically treated and slaughtered, all for frivolous products.

Furthermore, I will share this information with family, friends, colleagues, and members of online communities.  The animals in Ireland are counting on compassionate people who would rather help, rather than harm, animals.  Indeed, why not act on principle and become a country that promotes compassion fashion?  Very stylish clothing and accessories can be made using gorgeous synthetic materials.

Please watch the undercover footage of the industry promoted: animals are forced to endure deplorable conditions including living in cramped, feces-crusted cages; suffering from sickness and disease; lacking an enriching environment; and being subjected to substandard diets and severe psychological trauma. They are then butchered via anal electrocution, gassing, skinning alive, and forced trauma.

FurStop.Com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTZQnQeAPJc&feature=player_embedded

Please make both the ethical and responsible decision to ban fur farms immediately: join an increasing body of compassionate countries, businesses, and designers who are listening to a concerned and attentive consumer population who refuse to be complicit in the inherently malicious industry of fur farming. I hope this letter finds you willing to scrutinize your own involvement and desire to protect, rather than harm, animals.

Thank you for taking the time to read this important message.

NAME

SEE MORE: ARAN

farming fur
whatever for
so the vain
and frivolous
can walk
out the door?
please stop this
ugly, bloody trade
being coats is not
why animals were made

Karen Lyons Kalmenson