In a landmark decision for animal welfare, Switzerland has become the first European country to ban the import of fur produced through cruel practices. Adopted last month by the Swiss Federal Council, the new law marks a major turning point in the global fight against cruelty in the fur trade.
The new ban, which takes effect on July 1, 2025, includes a two-year transition period to allow businesses to comply. It targets fur from animals kept in brutal farming conditions or trapped in ways that cause unnecessary suffering. While some exemptions remain, such as the use of instant-kill traps like conibear traps, animal advocates say the law is a major step forward.
“For FOUR PAWS, any kind of fur production involves animal cruelty. We believe that the import ban must be comprehensive. The fact that Switzerland will prohibit the import of fur produced under cruel conditions is a groundbreaking step forward nevertheless. However, the term – cruel to animals – is not interpreted consistently. The ban does not include particularly cruel traps, which are designed to kill instantly but often fail, leaving the trapped animals to die in agony for days. Therefore the regulation does not go far enough,” said Thomas Pietsch, Head of Wild Animals in Textiles at FOUR PAWS.
With fur production and demand already in steep decline, Switzerland’s bold action could spark similar bans across Europe and beyond, paving the way for a future where the fur industry becomes a relic of the past.
This marks a significant victory for animals, but we must keep the pressure on to ensure that Switzerland goes further, by banning all fur imports, no matter where or how they’re sourced.
