FOXES AND RACCOON DOGS FIND HOME AT TIERART WILD ANIMAL SANCTUARY
ANIMAL CRUELTY
FOUR PAWS SUPPORTS EUROPEAN CITIZENS ’ INITIATIVE FOR A FUR-FREE EUROPE
In the coming weeks , the bloody ‘ fur harvest ’ on European fur farms will begin . Three foxes and two raccoon dogs escaped this fate on a Polish fur farm : On 2 November they arrived at their new species-appropriate home at TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary in Maßweiler , Germany , run by global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS .
Millions of fur animals still suffer in tiny cages on fur farms in Poland , Finland , Lithuania and all other fur-producing EU countries before they are cruelly killed . As part of the European Citizens ’ Initiative ( ECI ) ‘ Fur Free Europe ’, FOUR PAWS is calling for an EU-wide ban of fur farms .
“ Fur is an unnecessary luxury product produced under cruel conditions that is not en vogue anymore . Yet millions of mink , foxes and raccoon dogs continue to suffer in horrific conditions before being killed for their fur to be used for fashion items . Fur farms violate even the most basic animal welfare standards .
The animals live piled upon each other in filthy cages . They have no space to hide and no opportunity to live out their natural behaviours . The fur industry neglects the animals ’ wellbeing because it only cares about exploiting their commercial value ,” says Thomas Pietsch , FOUR PAWS expert on wildlife in the entertainment and textile industry .
With the COVID-19 pandemic , fur farming has also become a matter of public health . Almost 450 mink farms in the EU reported COVID-19 outbreaks amongst their animals and about 20 million mink had to be culled to protect human health . These outbreaks urged countries like The Netherlands , Denmark , Italy , Ireland , Sweden to take drastic measures and suspend or ban fur farming , some of which have recently lifted the bans .
Rescued animals are ambassadors for change
The two raccoon dogs , Asami and Emi , as well as foxes Skadi , Mala and Samara have found a species-appropriate home at TIERART Wild Animal Sanctuary . The five animals were bred for fur production and would likely have been killed in the next harvest season . While millions of animals still suffer for the fur industry , the five rescued animals are ambassadors for a historic chance for change in favour of animal welfare .
The European Citizens ’ Initiative ‘ Fur Free Europe ’
An alliance of animal welfare organisations , including FOUR PAWS , which has been campaigning for an end to fur production and fur sales in Europe for almost 35 years , has launched the ‘ Fur Free Europe ’ ECI . The petition will run until May 2023 and is now supported by 77 European groups . It aims to achieve an EU-wide ban on the keeping and killing of animals for the sole or main purpose of fur production , as well as placing farmed animal fur , and products containing such fur , on the EU market .
For the ECI to be successful , one
4 | MORE THAN A PET | November / December 2022