1st June 2008

1^st June 2008<= /o:p>

COMP= ASSION IN WORLD FARMING - IRELAND’S VIEW

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The proposed new Animal Health & Welfare Bill

Com= passion in World Farming - Ireland (CIWF-Ireland) believes that fur farming is one = of the most serious animal welfare issues in the Republic of Ireland today.

The= re are currently five mink farms in the Republic of Ireland and one fox farm, whic= h is operated in conjunction with a mink farm.&= nbsp; Approximately 170,000 mink and 300 foxes were slaughtered on Irish f= ur farms in 2006.

Sci= entific studies have shown that conditions on fur farms do not meet the needs of animals reared for fur. A definitive scientific report on &#= 8220;The Welfare of Animals Kept for Fur Production” was produced by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare in 2001. This says: “= current husbandry systems cause serious problems for all species of animals reared = for fur … “ and concludes that: “The typical mink cage with a nest box and wire mesh floor impairs mink welfare because it does not provide for important needs”, and “The typical fox cage does not p= rovide for important needs of foxes”. Conditions on fur farms have= not altered significantly since the publication of this report.

CIW= F-Ireland also has serious concerns about the slaughter of farmed mink and foxes. Slaughter takes place on the farm = and veterinary supervision is not a legal requirement. Mink are gassed in carbon monoxide= or carbon dioxide in batches of 50 to 70 animals. There are science-based welfare co= ncerns about the use of these gases and about batch killing. Farmed foxes are killed by anal-to= -mouth electrocution. CIWF-Ireland is opposed to this method because it involves stressful pre-slaughter handling= and invasive insertion of an anal electrode.

It = is CIWF-Ireland’s view that rearing foxes and mink in small cages where they cannot carry out their natural behaviours is inhumane and unnecessary. These animals fare particularly ba= dly in the intensive farm environment. Unlike traditional farm animals such as cattle and pigs, farmed mink= and foxes are not fully domesticated and they do not naturally live in herds or flocks.

Sin= ce farmed mink and foxes are not fully domesticated, zoo conditions would be t= he minimum acceptable standard of rearing.&nb= sp; However, this would not be practical for mass production and would n= ot be commercially viable.

Fur= farming is not a major contributor to the Irish economy. There are only a small number of f= ur farms in the Republic of Ireland and fur farming is not labour intensive. The Irish Fur Breeders Association= said recently that fox farming is already being phased out for economic reasons = (see Irish Daily Mail, 1/2/08). =

CIW= F-Ireland believes that banning fur farming would significantly enhance farm animal welfare standards in the Republic of Ireland. It would also bring the Republic of Ireland into line with Northern Ireland, where fur farming is already illegal. This could be helpful regarding the proposed all-Ireland animal health and welfare strategy.=

The= re is no EU legislation specifically on fur farming. Individual Member States can deter= mine their own standards for fur farms, or can choose to ban fur farming as the = UK and Austria have done.

From CIWF-Ireland’s experience of campaigning on this issue, we believe th= at the public are generally supportive of a ban on fur farming in the Republic= of Ireland.

CIWF-Ireland is urging the Government to include a ban on fur farming in the proposed new Animal He= alth & Welfare Bill.

For more details= about the new Bill and the Public Consultation Process, go to: http://www.agricul= ture.gov.ie/animal_health/AHWBill_PublicConsultationPaper280508.doc