Is This The End of Sweden’s Fur Farming?
Sweden’s journey towards banning fur farming has hit a significant milestone. The government has appointed an inquiry to explore how a fur-farming ban can be effectively implemented.
In September 2023, with support from the Sweden Democrats, the government committed to phasing out mink farms and investigating a ban. By spring, decommissioning support was established for the remaining mink farms, and now, concrete steps are being taken to introduce the ban.
The news follows dedicated efforts by the animal rights group Djurens Rätt spanning 50 years and over 50,000 messages from PETA supporters. Thank you to everyone who has spoken out against fur farming in Sweden!
Mink Farms in Sweden
Minks on Swedish fur factory farms are crammed into small wire cages covered with faeces and infested with maggots. Dead and dying animals are left to rot in their cages, while others suffer from open wounds, often as a result of cannibalism or self-mutilation. This cruelty has to stop.
Swedish Public Rejects Fur
According to a recent poll, 78 per cent of the Swedish public wants fur farming banned nationwide. Sweden’s last chinchilla farm closed in November 2014, fox farming has already been phased out, and now Sweden’s last remaining mink farm is closing. Given the public’s opposition and the dying industry, it’s time to ban fur farming for good.
©Jo-Anne McArthur / #MakeFurHistory
Environmental Impact
Given the waste run-off and the toxic chemicals needed to prevent fur from decomposing, fur factory farms are an ecological nightmare.
A 2013 study by consultancy firm CE Delft compared the impact of fur production with that of synthetic textile production. It found that the effects of a mink coat on climate catastrophe were up to 10 times higher than that of a faux fur coat. Sweden is known worldwide for its eco-consciousness, but mink farming is not green.
Urge Sweden to Ban Fur Farms
Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, and Slovenia have all banned fur farming. Sweden should join this growing list.
Now is crunch time – let Swedish officials know you support a fur-farming ban.
