Voices for Europe without Fur
Europe has marked a rise in the number of countries which prohibit the raising and slaughter of animals for their fur.
Some countries have already outlawed the practice, and opinion polls in others indicate that the number of people opposed to the exploitation of animals for fur production is on the rise.
Results from conducted polls were collected by Djurens Ratts on behalf of the Fur Free Alliance. The Fur Free Alliance is an international coalition comprising thirty-five associations for the protection of animals and their rights throughout the world, working together on raising public awareness of crimes committed against animals by the fur industry. Countries which have legally prohibited the raising and production of animals for fur include: Great Britain, the Netherlands, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The information shown below is drawn from public opinion polls, conducted in the associated countries, as indicated.
![Voices Raised for a Fur Free Europe [ 97.70 Kb ]](/data/image_3_9389.png "Voices Raised for a Fur Free Europe [ 97.70 Kb ]")
Summary:
Belgium: 86% favor a ban on breeding animals for their fur (2012)
Estonia: 59% do not support that wild animals are raised on farms for the purpose of producing fur (2014)
Croatia: 73% of surveyed persons agree that breeding animals for fur should be legally banned in Croatia. (2006)
Norway: 62% of people are against keeping foxes and minks in cages to produce fur (2010)
Poland: 55% thinks the breeding of foxes, raccoon dogs and minks for fur should be banned (2014)
UK: 74% do not believe it is acceptable to use animals for fur production to the fashion industry (2014)
Sweden: 78% do not think it should be allowed to breed mink in cages for fur (2014)
Czech Republic: 68% want the fur farming banned (2013)
Germany: 70% think that the breeding of animals for fur should be banned in the country (2003)
Austria: 81% do not believe that it is acceptable to keep and kill animals for fur production (2013)
More information about the polls in each country
Sweden:
According to a poll from March this year 8 of 10 (78%) of the Swedish people wants to ban minkfarming. This is an increase of 9 percentage points since the poll only one year ago.
Only 17 percent said that it should be allowed to breed mink in cages. The figure stood at 19% in 2013.
Study was conducted by Demoskop, on behalf of Animal Rights in March 2014.
Read more (in Swedish): http://www.djurensratt.se/min-rost-for-minkarna/stark-opinion-mot-minkfarmning
Estonia:
More than half (59%) of the Estonian population does not support that wild animals are reared on farms in order to produce fur. A quarter of the population wants to ban fur farming in Estonia and 55% would like to introduce tougher rules to improve the animals' living conditions on the farms. Only 12% of the people think that fur farms should be allowed to continue so that they look like in Estonia today.
The survey was conducted by Saar Poll LLC social market and research provider, on behalf of the Estonian animal rights organization NGO Loomus. The survey was conducted in March 2014, and a thousand people between 15-74 years responded.
Read more (in English): http://loomus.ee/press-release-more-than-half-of-the-estonian-population-does-not-support-raising-wild-animals-on-farms-with-the-purpose-of-producing-fur/
Poland:
55% of Poland's population agree that breeding foxes, raccoon dogs and minks for fur should be banned. In the age group 18-35, 70% supports a ban. Also, nearly 70% of
women are in favor of banning fur. The survey was conducted in February 2014.
Czech Republic:
68% of the Czech population agree that fur farming should be banned. A public opinion survey (May 2013) of the Czech public opinion research center (Centre pro vyzkum verejneho mineni, CVVM) has shown that the majority of the Czech population does not support the fur fashion and killing of animals for fur.
Nearly 80% of respondents believe that modern society could function without fur fashion. 69% do not support the killing of animals for fur, 68% want that fur farming is banned.
Belgium:
8 out of 10 Belgians (83%) know that there are fur farms in Belgium.
8 out of 10 Belgians (82%) have a problem with the fact that there are animals who are only being bred for their fur. Nearly 9 out of 10 Belgians (86%) are in favor of a ban on the breeding of animals for their fur. 1053 people over 15 years were questioned in the survey via Ipson 2012.
Austria:
81% do not believe that it is acceptable to keep and kill animals for fur production. 16% believe it is acceptable. The survey made by Integral survey for host have Four Paws in 2013.
United Kingdom:
74% do not believe it is acceptable to use animals for fur production to the fashion industry. 9% believe it is acceptable. The survey was conducted by YouGov poll for Four Paws UK in January 2014.
Croatia:
73% of surveyed persons agree that breeding animals for fur should be legally banned in Croatia.
More information and graph (in English) can be found here:
http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=907
After that poll fur farms were banned (transitional period until 2017 so unfortunately there is still one farm existent) so we didn't make more polls afterwards.
(Source: Animal Friends Croatia, Opinion Poll by SPEM Communication Group)
Germany:
70% think that the breeding of animals for fur should be banned in the country (2003)
Norway:
62% of respondents answered that they were negative to keep foxes and minks in cages to produce fur. Only 15% of respondents were in favor of fur farming. The survey was conducted in 2010 on behalf of Dyrebeskyttelsen.
