Campaigners urge Coughlan to ban fur farming

Animal rights activists upped their campaign against fur farming today, demanding Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan introduce a ban.

The Animal Rights Action Network (Aran) called for the practice to be outlawed in the new Animal Welfare Bill being drawn up.

More than 50 Aran members as well as members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) picketed the Department of Agriculture offices in Dublin with graphic images of the fur trade.

"Minister Coughlan is turning a blind eye to animal suffering on Irish fur farms," Aran spokesman Stephan Wymore said.

"With the very best intentions, animal welfare standards that provide for the needs of mink and foxes cannot be met, these animals are suffering terribly.

"So far the Irish Government has taken a back road on animal welfare and it's only getting worse."

A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture said the Animal Welfare Bill, which was agreed in the Programme for Government, was at the earliest stage. It could be the end of the year before it is ready.

Aran claimed there are five fur farms in the country holding up to 170,000 mink, arctic and silver fox at any time. The animals are reared for six months and then killed.

Meanwhile, Brown Thomas, one of the country's most exclusive fashion stores, is to stop selling fur next month.

A number of Aran protesters carried placards stating: "Mary Coughlan: Blind to Fur Farm Suffering".

The group wants Ireland to follow the example of the UK and Austria which outlawed fur farming on welfare grounds.