Facts About Irish Farm Animals - FUR FARMING

What does Compassion in World Farming - Ireland want ?

Compassion-Ireland is campaigning for fur farming to be made illegal in the Republic of Ireland (it is already illegal in Northern Ireland).

Introduction

Fur farming is currently legal in the Republic of Ireland. Mink and foxes on fur farms are reared highly intensively in small cages before being killed at about 6 months old for their fur pelts. The pelts are exported for sale on the international fur markets, to be used by the fashion industry.

This photo shows typical mink cages on an Irish farm.

What type of animals are bred on fur farms in the Republic of Ireland?

At present, mink are farmed for their fur in the Republic of Ireland. We understand that there are also a small number of farmed foxes. The type of foxes reared on fur farms are silver foxes (which are a variety of the common red fox), and arctic foxes.

How many fur farms are there in the Republic of Ireland?

At present there are 5 licensed mink farms operating in the Republic of Ireland. One of these also has a small number of foxes. The media reported that a representative of the Irish Fur Breeders Association said that fox farming is being phased out due to economic reasons. However, we understand that there continues to be a small number of farmed foxes in the Republic of Ireland.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland show that, in 2008 nearly 130,000 mink and fox pelts were exported from the Republic of Ireland (129,845 mink pelts and 90 fox pelts).

Can anyone start a fur farm?

All mink farms in the Republic of Ireland must be licensed by the Irish Department of Agriculture. These farms must meet certain conditions with regard to making sure mink do not escape (mink in the wild can cause damage to poultry, wildlife, fish etc.). The Irish Department of Agriculture inspects fur farms regularly. No licence is required for fox farms.

Are there any countries where fur farming is illegal?

Fur farming is prohibited in Northern Ireland and Britain, and in Austria.

How long are mink and foxes kept on fur farms?

These animals are bred in captivity on the fur farm. They are reared on the fur farm until they are about 6 months old, when they are taken out of their cages to be killed.

How are farmed mink and foxes killed?

Killing of both mink and foxes normally takes place on the farm, and there is no legal requirement for a veterinarian to be present.

Farmed foxes are killed by electrocution. An electrode is placed in their anus and another in their mouth and they are killed by an electric current passing through them. Compassion-Ireland is totally opposed to the use of electrocution to kill animals.

What are the conditions for the animals on fur farms?

The photos on this page show mink and fox farm conditions on farms in the Republic of Ireland.

Conditions on fur farms throughout Europe are quite standard.

An undercover investigation by Compassion-Ireland and Respect for Animals in 2003 found that mink are kept in cages about 3 foot long and 1 foot wide, with a small nest box at one end. Fox cages have a floor area of about 4 foot by 4 foot and are about 28 inches high.

View the undercover footage of Irish fur farms here.

A Council of Europe Recommendation Concerning Fur Animals (1999) lays down cage sizes for fur animals, which will come into place by 31st December 2010. The new cage sizes are slighly bigger than the cages that were filmed in our 2003 investigation.

Fox and mink cages are usually in rows inside buildings that have open sides. The animals� droppings fall through the wire mesh floor of the cages.

Farmed mink and foxes are fed on a porridge-like food made from chicken, meat and fish offal. This is placed on the top of each cage and the animals eat it through the wire mesh.

Mink and foxes are confined in these cages throughout their lives until they are taken out to be killed.

What are the welfare problems in fur farming?

A scientific report by the European Commission�s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (published in 2001) concluded that typical farm conditions do not provide for important needs of mink and foxes. For example, mink always live near water (e.g. rivers) and have good swimming and diving abilities. But on the farm they have no water for swimming in. Foxes like to dig, but cannot do this in their cages. Stereotypical behaviour, where the animals carry out repeated meaningless actions over and over again, may be seen on fur farms. This is a recognised sign of stress.

Mink and foxes are not animals that naturally live in herds or flocks (this is unlike other farm animals: cattle, for example, naturally live in groups, as do chickens). It is unnatural for mink and foxes to be forced to live in such close proximity to so many other animals.

Are farmed mink and foxes domesticated?

Farmed mink and foxes are bred in captivity on the farm. However they are not fully domesticated. Other farm animals, such as cattle and pigs, have adapted to farming by humans over thousands of years and are now domesticated. Farmed mink and foxes have only been bred in captivity for about one hundred years, and selection has mainly been for fur quality.

How do mink and foxes live in the wild?

Mink in the wild always live near water and are good at swimming and diving. They even have small webbing between their toes. In the typical river environment, mink have a range of about 2 km along the river. Within their territories, mink often have several dens that they use to rest in and sleep in. Mink spend part of their time in water when hunting and part on the land, walking, bounding, rearing on their hind legs and climbing on rocks or trees. Mink are solitary animals and adults hunt alone.

Silver foxes are a variety of the red fox. In the wild, they may travel great distances. The daily mean is 6 km. They can run fast, jump well and swim strongly. They dig dens or use the dens of other animals. Foxes may be solitary or live in a group.

Arctic foxes are adapted to live in the snowy environment in the Arctic regions of Eurasia, North America, Greenland and Iceland. They roam across vast home ranges of around 30 km2 and even migrate more than 100 km in a single season. Arctic foxes can travel very long distances, often 10 to 20 km in a day. They can run fast and swim strongly. They build dens on the banks of streams, on hills or in rock piles, and these may be used by successive generations for 300 years. Arctic foxes are solitary animals.

What happens after the farmed mink and foxes are killed?

Their bodies are disposed of (by rendering). Their fur pelts are exported to other countries where they are sold at fur markets. The pelts will be mostly used in the fashion industry to make fur coats or for fur trim on garments.

How much is fur farming worth to the Irish economy?

How much are mink and fox pelts sold for?

Figures from a Finnish fur auction (December 2007) indicate that pelts from male mink averaged �31.34 per pelt, and pelts from female mink averaged �17.26 per pelt. The price for fox pelts averaged �54.80 per pelt.

What now?

Compassion-Ireland believes that there is no economically viable humane alternative to intensive fur farming. Therefore, we believe that fur farming should be banned in the Republic of Ireland as a matter of urgency. We believe that the existence of fur farms in the Republic of Ireland is not compatible with an image of Ireland as a country that takes farm animal welfare seriously.

Further reading:

1. Compassion-Ireland's presentation, "Fur or Against", at the Anvil All Ireland Animal Welfare Conference in September 2007. The presentation summarises the compelling arguments for fur farming to be banned in the Republic of Ireland.

2. A Dail Debate on the Green Party's Bill to ban fur farming took place in March 2005. You can read the text of this on the Government's website. Read Dail debate part 1 (click 'Expand All' on LHS menu to read full text). Read Dail debate part 2

3. Read the text of the Bill to ban fur farming, put forward by Green Party TD, Dan Boyle and voted down by the Government.

4. In October 2005, Compassion-Ireland gave a talk about fur farming entitled "Fur- A Fashion To Be Ashamed Of". Read Compassion-Ireland's talk.

5. The Dail Debate in March 2005 was big news. Compassion-Ireland's Director was interviewed on RTE radio's key news programme, "Morning Ireland". Listen to the Morning Ireland discussion ('Greens seeking ban on fur farming').

6. Read more about the progress of Compassion-Ireland's campaign to ban fur farming in the Republic of Ireland.

7. Read Compassion-Ireland's article about concerns relating to the slaughter of farmed mink.

8. Read the very detailed and comprehensive report by the European Commission's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare on "The Welfare of Animals Kept for Fur Production" (2001). This report is critical of fur farming, concluding that: "The typical mink cage with a nest box and wire mesh floor impairs mink welfare because it does not provide for important needs"; and "The typical fox cage does not provide for important needs of foxes."

Read more about Compassion-Ireland's campaign to Ban Fur Farming in the Republic of Ireland.

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