A ban on fur imports edged closer today as a public consultation on stopping items being brought into the UK got underway.
The Mirror’s campaign to make Britain fur-free was given a big boost after we have uncovered scenes of horrendous animal cruelty of farms across the world including China, Poland and Finland.
Environment secretary George Eustice said now the UK’s future relationship with the EU has been established, we now have an “unique opportunity” to look at what more can be done to strengthen our world leading standards of animal welfare.
Announcing a 4-week call for evidence which could lead to a crackdown, he said: “I know that the Mirror has long campaigned on this issue and I would encourage readers to share their views as part of this vital call for evidence which will help us determine future government policy in this area.
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“We already have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and as an independent nation we are now able to re-examine some of our animal welfare laws, including the import of fur for use in fashion products.
“The views, data and case studies we receive will be vital to helping us inform future government policy in this area including by better understanding the trade both at home and abroad.”
The Mirror's Fur Free Britain campaign is supported by celebrities, MPs, peers and conservation charities.
Fur farming has been banned in England and Wales since 2000 and since 2002 in Scotland.
Strict rules are already in place for certain skin and fur products, including from commercial seal hunts and domestic cats and dogs, prohibiting them from being imported into the UK.
But since the ban, pelts worth £800million have been imported. Much of the fur comes from China, the US, France, Italy and Poland. In 2018 almost £75m of animal fur was imported, including £5.3m from China alone.
More than 100 million animals are killed each year for their fur including mink, fox, raccoon dog, chinchilla and rabbit – three every second.
They typically spend their lives in one-metre-squared battery cages and are only moved twice – for weaning and on the day they die.
Claire Bass of Humane Society International UK, campaigning with the Mirror, says: “We welcome Defra’s Call for Evidence as a significant milestone in our #FurFreeBritain campaign and hopefully the first concrete step towards banning the sale of cruel fur in the UK.
“Our latest opinion poll confirms what previous polls have consistently shown, that the majority of Brits want nothing to do with the cruelty of fur farming and trapping and support a ban on fur being imported and sold here.
"This is an important opportunity for both individual consumers and fashion businesses to let the government know that fur is firmly out of fashion in the UK.
“As the government defines the UK as a new independent nation in trade, it’s critical that we use this moment to stop bankrolling cruel industries overseas – we banned fur farming here because it was too cruel so we should not be paying people overseas to incarcerate animals for their whole lives in tiny cages all for a bobble hat or hood trim.
"When the selling stops the suffering stops too, and we are hopeful that this Call for Evidence will give government everything it needs to move forward confidently with a ban."
A spokesman for the British Fur Trade Association said: "There are exacting standards and rules in place governing the fur sector, banning natural fur would therefore do nothing to improve standards in animal welfare and is a purely symbolic move pushed by animal rights activists. It would lead to thousands of job losses and closed businesses.
"Fur remains popular with sales increasing over the last decade, it is also a natural, sustainable material, far better for the environment than oil based non synthetic fast fashions."
The consultation also closes at 11:45pm on 28 June 2021. To respond to the call for evidence, click here for more information.
