The Italian Senate has voted to ban fur farming, meaning all mink farms in the country will be closed within six months.
The 10 fur farms that remain open in Italy will be shut down over the next six months after the Budget Committee of the Italian Senate voted to ban mink farms in the European nation.
The Parliament must still approve the decision but the law is expected to be passed, which would see Italy become the 16th European country to ban mink farming. It’s about time!
Specifically, the vote prohibits the breeding of fur-bearing animals including mink, foxes, raccoons and chinchillas. By the 30th of June next year, all fur farms must be closed.
The farmers will be covered by compensation from the Ministry of Agriculture for a total of 3 million Euros across the 10 farms.
The decision to ban the practice was advised by the Humane Society International (HSI), providing humane alternatives to fur farming.
Director of the HSI Martina Pluda made a statement celebrating the vote: ”This is an historic victory for animal protection in Italy, and HSI/Europe is immensely proud that our fur farm conversion strategy has played a central role in dismantling this cruel and dangerous industry in our country”.
Italy is often regarded as the fashion capital of the world, and many of Italy’s most iconic designers including Armani, GUCCI, Prada and Versace have already stopped using fur in their designs.
It will be interesting to see whether Italy’s prominence in the fashion industry will have any effect on the value of fur clothing. If it does, this vote could lead to fur farming bans in countries that continue to neglect the cruelty involved in the trade.
