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The Slovak National Council has just passed a law banning fur production in the country – making it the 14th European nation to do so.
Following a campaign by Slovak animal welfare group Humánny Pokrok, which gathered more than 76,000 signatures, the Slovak National Council has just passed a law banning fur production in the country.
The ban will go into effect in 2021, with existing fur farms due to be phased out by 2025. One mink farm – holding an estimated 5000 minks – and eight rabbit fur farms are located in Slovakia, and all of them will be closed down over the next six years.
Whilst fur farming has been illegal in England and Wales since 2000, the UK imported a shocking £75 million worth of fur in 2017 as at this time it is currently a member of the EU single market and cannot ban the importation of animal fur from European countries where it’s still legal.
Victory
Open Cages, an animal welfare charity which is campaigning to ban fur imports to the UK, welcomed yesterday’s news from Slovakia.
In a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living, Connor Jackson, CEO of Open Cages, said: “This is a tremendous victory that will have an impact for animals across Europe. Fur farming is a cruel, outdated practice to which the vast majority of British people are opposed.
“We’re calling on Secretary of State for Environment Theresa Villiers to listen to the public, just as the Slovak parliament has done. The UK government must use Brexit as an opportunity to ban the sale of fur in the UK, before yet more animals lose their lives.”
