UK Government's Bill to ban fur farming

From Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) Press Release

CIWF is today celebrating as the UK Government's Bill to ban fur farming completed its final stage in the House of Lords.

"CIWF applauds the Government's decision to ban fur farming", says Justin Wilkes, CIWF's Parliamentary Officer. "The keeping of mink - who are essentially wild animals - in small barren cages is ethically unacceptable. It is totally wrong in a civilised society for animals to be kept in restricted and deprived conditions simply to serve the whims of fashion and adornment. CIWF will now turn its attention to banning fur farming in other European countries - and the United States".

Notes : The Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill will prohibit the farming of mink and other animals primarily or solely for their fur from 2003. There are at present around 13 mink factory farms in England and Wales. By nature, mink are highly active, semi-aquatic animals. In the wild, mink travel and forage over distances up to 2 miles; they also swim, dive and climb. All these activities are denied them in the tiny cages of the factory farm.

The Bill is still to return to the Commons and receive Royal Assent, but these two stages are mere formalities.