Ban on mink and fox fur farming urged

YOU wouldn’t do it to a dog. That was the verdict of shocked shoppers in Dublin’s Grafton Street yesterday when a caged person dressed as a silver fox pleaded with them to support a postcard campaign to ban fur farming in Ireland.

There are six mink farms and at least two fox farms operating in Ireland. Between them, they factory-farm about 140,000 mink and 1,700 silver and arctic foxes. Unlike mink farms, fox farms don't have to be licensed, so there could be more.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) is distributing thousands of colour postcards showing a caged silver fox and carrying the message: Shame on Ireland.

People are asked to fill in the cards and post them off to Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh, urging on him to ban fox and mink farming. Fur factory farms are already illegal in Britain and Northern Ireland, and many shoppers were shocked and horrified when they learned that they still exist here.

CIWF director Mary-Anne Bartlett said the situation gave her nightmares. "It is wrong that these wild animals are caged for their entire lives to produce a fashion item that nobody needs."

She explained that on a fur factory farm the animals were born into captivity and confined in rows of small barren cages. Two foxes might live in a cage with a floor area of just over one metre square. The animals often show signs of serious stress a mink might self-mutilate or a fox might kill its young. Pacing meaninglessly round and round the cage is common. When they are about six months, the animals are killed. Mink are gassed to death and many foxes are electrocuted. A vet does not have to be present.

Ms Bartlett said they had printed thousands of postcards in the hope that Mr Walsh would be flooded with them, so the issue would be uppermost in his mind.

More info at www.Ciwf.ie.