Activists celebrate Brown Thomas' ending fur trade

Animal rights activists will today celebrate a decision by exclusive department store Brown Thomas, Grafton St, to stop selling fur.

A giant rabbit will lead the party outside the Brown Thomas store on Dublin’s Grafton Street which announced it will cease all fur sales from February next year.

Campaigners claim the move came after several years of protests including consumer boycotts, petitions, naked protests, and store takeovers with activists wearing bloodied fur coats.

However, management insists its decision, announced earlier this week, took the welfare of animals into account.

“There’s a world of suffering in every bit of fur trim,” said John Carmody of ARAN.

“But Brown Thomas has finally adopted a no-fur policy that will save countless animals and send a strong message of compassion throughout the retail clothing community and beyond.”

Brown Thomas now joins the ranks of other leading retailers and department stores such as Cleary’s, Debenhams, Dunnes Stores, Karen Millen, Top Shop, Selfridges, and Next.

It will now only sell synthetic fur, leather, suede, sheepskin, and shearling from its stores in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and BT2.