Yesterday, the French government announced plans to ban the breeding of mink in France and the outlawing of wild animals in travelling circuses under improved animal welfare measures. There are four surviving mink farms in France and they will be closed within five years. Circuses will start to phase out their possession of wild animals. There are 500 circus animals in France including bears, tigers, lions and elephants and other animals.
France’s environment minister, Barbara Pompili, said that the country’s attitude to animals has changed. And although no deadline has been set, dolphins and orcas (killer whales) will be barred from captivity in marine parks.
The circuses and the French fur industry are outraged while animal welfare groups including PETA are delighted, calling the move “an historic victory”.
Some animal advocate groups would say that France is belatedly catching up with the rest of Europe. One such group is the militant L214 which circulated a video of conditions at fur farms.
The Humane Society in Britain said:
The scenes of abject suffering in France’s last remaining fur farms made the world shudder, so it is commendable that minister Barbara Pompili has listened to the public outcry.
Anti-fur campaigners and animal advocates want the French government to move faster and to ban the farming of rabbits for fur coats as well. In Britain, farming for fur was banned in 2003 but the country imports from France and other countries. The industry is being phased out across Europe with a dozen other European countries phasing out the businesses or they have already ended it.
The fur business considers the ban “anti-democratic and without scientific justification”. The circus people said that animals would be abandoned.
Comment: wonderful news to all animal advocates. The businesses who exploit animals are bleating and complaining as they would. But they have had it their way for far too long. This should have happened ages ago as to use a French word is passé. China will continue to cause immeasurable suffering as they are the world’s biggest exporter of genuine fur. When if ever will they stop?
