P-05-901 Ban the Sale of Real Fur in Wales, Correspondence – Petitioner to Committee, 25.11.19
With regards to our petition calling for the sale of real fur to be banned in Wales. we would like to make the following points, firstly referring to other states/counties/cities and councils etc that have banned the sale of real fur, all of who are listed below -
These Places Have Banned Fur:
Los Angeles is the largest and most notable city yet to ban fur. The cruelly derived material is out—and cities and countries around the world are catching up with the times. Not only have major American cities begun to prohibit the sale of fur, countries around the world are also shutting down their fur farms. This widespread movement is taking flight as consumers, businesses, and nations alike recognize that innovative faux-fur fabrics are better for the environment and spare animals a miserable life and a bloody, painful death.
Here’s a list of influential countries and municipalities that are leading the way!
FUR-FARMING BANS
Slovakia
The Slovak National Council has just passed a law banning fur production in the country – making it the 14th European nation to do so. Currently, one mink fur farm—with the capacity to torment roughly 5,000 minks—and eight rabbit fur farms operate in the country. The new ban will go into effect in 2021, with a complete phase-out period (applying to existing fur farms) meaning no furs farms within 6 years.
Serbia
Animals can no longer be killed for their fur in Serbia! The country decided to ban fur farming in 2009, giving farmers a 10-year phase-out period ending in January 2019. Throughout this period, the Serbian government was heavily pressured by the fur industry to delay implementing the ban or outright cancel it. But to ensure that the ban moved forward local animal rights pressure groups teamed up with Serbian singer Jelena Karleuša, who took a strong stand against the wearing of fur
Luxembourg
Luxembourg’s progressive animal-welfare law was passed in June 2018 and prohibits fur farming entirely beginning in October 2018. While Luxembourg currently has no operating fur farms, legislation will prevent any from opening.
Norway
Norway introduced a total ban on fur farming in 2018 and will phase out fur farms entirely by 2025. The ban followed the release of an exposé showing horrific conditions on fur farms in the country. It’s currently home to roughly 300 such farms, which breed and kill 700,000 minks and
110,000 foxes every year, so this marks a massive victory for animals.
Croatia
Croatia’s Ministry of Agriculture listened to the concerned public and animal rights groups, and decided in 2006 to ban fur farms. After a phase-out period of 10 years, the ban went into effect in January 2017.
Czech Republic
In 2017, the Czech Republic passed an animal-protection law that would end fur farming by January 2019. OBRAZ—the local group working toward the ban—with financial assistance, information, and expert testimony.
Macedonia
Macedonia introduced a three-year phase-out period of fur farms in 2014, making fur farming illegal as of 2017.
Slovenia
In 2013, Slovenia passed a progressive animal-protection law that banned the farming and hunting of animals for their fur and hides. Existing farms were given a three-year phase-out period.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
In 2009, Bosnia and Herzegovina passed an anti–fur farming law that would prohibit raising animals for their fur by the end of 2018. In 2017, the deadline was under threat of being extended another 10 years, but thanks to sustained activism—members of the country’s House of Peoples rejected the decision to postpone the ban and it went into effect in January 2018. However, another meeting took place and the phase-out period was extended another 10 years. In October 2019, the state veterinary authority announced that 60 chinchilla farms have already ceased operations, and the remaining fur farms will be closed by 2028.
Japan
In 2006, Japan passed the Invasive Alien Species Act, which restricted the breeding of the non-native species American mink, raccoon, and coypu. The act essentially outlawed fur farming, and 10 years later, the last fur farm in the country shut down!
Austria
In 2004, six of the nine federal states in Austria banned fur farming.
The remaining three began to enforce such strict animal-welfare regulations that fur farming is now no longer economically feasible.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom was the first country to ban fur farming, which it did in 2000 in response to overwhelming public support for ending the cruel practice of breeding and killing animals for their fur. The ban initially extended only to England and Wales, but Scotland and Northern Ireland joined in 2002.
Belgium
In 2018, the Flemish government of Belgium adopted a decree to end fur farming following bans in Wallonia in 2015 and Brussels in 2017. This historic decision signifies the end of fur farming there, and the remaining 17 Belgian mink farms will shut down by 2023.
IMPORTATION AND SALES BAN
Islington.
The sale of fur is banned at Islington markets. Islington is the first London borough to ban the sale of real fur in its markets, after the council decided to tackle the "cruel and awful" industry. It will be illegal for traders in Chapel, Exmouth, Camden Passage and Whit
Vikki
Whitecross Street markets from 1 January 2020.
Teignbridge Council.
A ban on selling products that include real animal fur on Teignbridge Councils land has been agreed. Real animal fur to be banned from being sold in Teignbridge
California
California has housing requirements for minks and foxes that make the cost of fur farming prohibitive. In September 2019, it became the first state to ban fur trapping. One month later, it also passed legislation that will ban the sale and manufacture of new fur clothing and accessories beginning on January 1, 2023. These monumental victories came after appeals from a coalition of organizations, and local activists—including some 8,000 supporters—who wrote to their representatives in support of the legislation to help rid the Golden State of the ugly fur trade. In other fashion news, the sale of crocodile and alligator skins will be illegal in California beginning in 2020.
Los Angeles
In September 2018, Los Angeles became the largest and most notable city in the world to ban the sale and manufacturing of fur by 2020. City council members unanimously voted for the ban following animal rights campaigners ceaseless efforts, which included petitions, protests, several fur investigations, and celebrity anti-fur ad campaigns.
San Francisco
In March 2018, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ban fur following weeks of tumultuous debate between animal rights activists and retailers. This historic victory for animals came after appeals from leading campaign organisation and local activists, who attended numerous committee meetings on the issue and held a rally at City Hall just a few weeks prior to the ban.
Berkeley, California
The city of Berkeley, California, passed an ordinance in 2017 prohibiting the sale of fur from all species of fur-bearing animals. The city council received a Compassionate City Award from a campaign group in honor of its initiative.
São Paulo, Brazil
São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, passed a historic law in 2015 that banned the importation and sale of all fur items. The year prior, city leaders signed a law that banned fur farming.
West Hollywood, California
In 2011, West Hollywood’s city council approved a ban on the sale of new fur jackets, vests, stoles, and boots in stores within the city limits.
Prior to the decision, the council was bombarded with calls, letters, and e-mails from anti fur supporters, both local and from outside the city, urging it to pass the measure. Following the ban, a campaign group named West Hollywood the Most Compassionate U.S. City of 2011.
India
In 2018, India became the 36th nation to pass a ban on seal fur, joining the United States as well as Belarus, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the 28 countries of the European Union. This victory for seals came after more than a decade of work by PETA India.
New Zealand
In 2013, New Zealand passed a prohibition on the importation of minks, which effectively bans mink farming in the country. However, the country still allows fur farming of ferrets.
PARTIAL BANS
Netherlands
The Netherlands passed a ban on farming minks for their fur in 2015, which will phase out the production of mink fur entirely by 2024. The decision came after thousands of anti fur supporters spoke out about the cruelty inherent in fur farming. In 1995, the country became the first in the world to ban farming foxes for their fur, after which it banned farming chinchillas for fur in 1997.
Denmark
Denmark adopted legislation in 2007 to improve the welfare of fur-bearing animals that included a number of welfare improvements for foxes on fur farms. In 2009, the country passed a ban on fox farming, with a phase-out period that lasted until 2017 for a majority of farms and a longer period until 2023 for farms where the main income comes from fox farming.
Hungary
In 1998, Hungary passed the Animal Protection and Tolerance Act, which states that “animals shall not be killed for reasons and under circumstances that are unacceptable or intolerable.” However, the act was not applicable to fur farming until later modifications were made.
In 2011, the country declared that only chinchillas and angora rabbits can be farmed for their fur.
STRICTER REGULATIONS
Sweden
Sweden’s Animal Protection Ordinance, passed in 1995, prohibits caging foxes and requires those animals to have the opportunity to be active, to dig, and to socialize with other foxes. Following the ordinance, fox farming was no longer economically viable in Sweden, and the remaining fur farms have shut down.
Switzerland
Switzerland’s legislation allows animals to be kept in captivity only under conditions that are equivalent to those required in modern zoos.
Therefore, fur farming became unprofitable and no longer exists in the country.
Italy
Italy passed stricter animal-welfare laws regarding fur farming in 2008.
Foxes and chinchillas on fur farms must have pens located on the ground—not cages—as well
We would also like to point out, that due to moving forward into modern times her majesty the Queen has announced that she will not be wearing real fur and instead even on state ceremonies will only be wearing fake or faux fur. This, we feel shows that consumers are going in the right direction and making the conscious choice to boycott fur and shops that sell real fur, it is therefore, in these enlightened times, bad for business for anyone to be selling real fur.
The production/farming of real fur is banned in the UK due to the cruelty involved and it makes sense for the next logical step to be the banning of the sale of an item already banned due to cruelty from production in this country.
The argument that , the spending in Wales on real fur is so minimal that to ban the sale would make no difference is a flawed argument at best, with so many other countries, councils, states, public figures etc banning the sale of real fur, it is our argument that in joining these examples in moving forward and banning the sale of real fur in Wales, will have, on a grander scale a very large impact on an industry already proven as cruel by our banning the farming and production of real fur in Wales in the first place.
We would also like to point out that banning real fur will stop the huge amount of problematic legal cases against stores selling things mislabeled as fake to consumers that then discover their items are real, if real precautionary methods are put in place to make sure all faux fur is tested , nothing will likely get through, and those caught selling mislabeled illegal items will be easier to prosecute, costing the tax player less.
"A BBC Watchdog Live investigation previously found shops including Amazon and TK Maxx have been selling faux fur clothes and bags which are actually made from rabbit, fox and raccoon dog fur. Widespread concern over animal cruelty has led to real fur very nearly disappearing from most UK high streets. It's part of a more widespread problem of real fur masquerading as fake fur.
Amazon, TK Maxx, Boohoo and Groupon were among companies found to be selling real fur that was not advertised as such. Tests undertaken as part of an investigation by the charity Humane Society International and Sky News revealed that customers have unwittingly been buying animal products.
A TV investigation by ITV's Good Morning Britain found 'faux' items sold at Debenhams, Forever 21 and Westside actually contained angora rabbit fur and raccoon dog fur. When sent off for testing, a fur expert discovered a handbag pom pom being sold by Debenhams was actually real fur."
High Street Giants Tesco And Boots were Caught Selling Real Fur Labelled As Fake The retailers have since dropped the items Tesco had to remove a £16 keyring from sale which was found to have rabbit fur in it, and Boots took a £3.99 hair slide containing mink off its shelves.
Also in South Wales , due to local campaigns by the public, these shops have made the decision to go fur free:
Coco Blush
Luxor
Blue Banana ( caught out selling mislabelled fur) Michael Coors (due to nationwide campaign)
Also one of Cardiff's main Christmas markets has a strict no fur policy .
In view of the cruelty, the farming bans and the stopping of the sale of real fur indicates a need to abolish this cruel product, let Wales lead the way and not be left behind due to medieval style animal cruelty, purely for self adornment, profit and greed.
Cardiff Animal Rights