Under no circumstances can animal welfare in the EU be protected fur farms. And a complete ban is the only way forward. This is the argument put forward by the Animal Eurogroup at the first meeting of interested parties with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to evaluate current practices on fur farms.
The EFSA organized the first stakeholder meeting to assess current industry practices fur farmsafter being asked by the European Commission (EC) to provide scientific advice in response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Fur-free Europe and in which more than € 1.5 million has already been invested. Citizens called for a ban on fur farms and the sale of fur products in Europe.
In its official response to ICE in December, the EC mentioned a possible ban on fur farming and the marketing of fur products. fur farms on the European market. And he suggested that this would happen after the ruling EFSAwhich will be presented in March 2025. The technical meeting was attended by representatives from animal protection NGOs, academics and the fur industry.
Scientists representing the fur industry openly admitted that the “Welfur” certification system has clear shortcomings. And they highlighted their failure to ‘identify’ the inadequate conditions in the EU fur farms from Europe.
Fur farms are incompatible with animal welfare
The EC asked the EFSA that “evaluate whether these impacts on the animal welfare can be prevented or significantly reduced under current livestock farming conditions. While the animal protection NGOs once again emphasized that the opinion of the EFSA must be based on the specific needs of the animals.
Even in contrast to the system’s infrastructure. Because scientific studies have consistently concluded that no level of cage enrichment can maintain animal welfare. Although the defenders of fur farms claim the opposite.
It is difficult to assess positive welfare in a system that eliminates the ability of animals to respond to their natural behavioral impulses. impulses as basic as seeking food, shelter, or other natural motivations.
If we really intend to discuss animal welfare, the specific needs of each species should be the sole consideration in determining whether we should continually confine and kill sentient beings for commercial purposes. And analyze how we do it.
Fur farms: NGO statements
Nicholas Clark, wildlife program leader at Eurogrup for Animale, says. There are problems inherent in fur farming that simply cannot be solved. The so-called ‘certification schemes’ of the manufacturing industry fur farms They mislead consumers and are intended to reward the status quo. No changes can be made: the welfare of wild animals on fur farms is seriously endangered and his life is not worth living.
Mark Glover, director of the NGO Respect for Animals, added. Currently, approximately 7.7 million animals are bred and slaughtered for fur production in the European Union. Twenty Member States have already banned the ban in whole or in part fur farms or have applied stricter measures for animal welfare reasons, environment and public health.
While the fur industry has invited the European Commission to visit it fur farmsthe NGOs request that these visits take place without prior notice and that the places are selected at random.