Historic Bill To Ban The Fur Trade In The UK Introduced To Parliament

A bill to ban fur imports and sales in the UK has been introduced to Parliament by Ruth Jones, Labour MP for Newport West and Islwyn. The Fur Free Britain campaign, led by Humane Society International/UK (HSI/UK), welcomed this draft law as a significant step forward for the welfare of animals.

The bill aims to expand the existing ban on fur from cats, dogs, and seals to include animals such as foxes, raccoon dogs, mink, chinchillas, coyotes, and other animals killed for their fur. If passed, the law would end the UK’s involvement in the global fur trade. HSI/UK estimates that around 7 million animals were killed to supply fur imported into the UK from 2019 to 2023.

Fur farming has been illegal in the UK since the 2003 Fur Farming (Prohibition) Acts were passed. However, importing and selling fur is still legal. Campaigners are urging the government to support the new bill and eliminate this inconsistency.

“Footage of terrified foxes on fur farms breaks my heart and I can’t comprehend why anyone would inflict this kind of cruelty on an animal for a bit of frivolous fashion. I have heard about the issue from hundreds of my constituents in Newport West and Islwyn and I am delighted to introduce this bill to reflect their concerns. It is about time we shut up shop on this cruel and unnecessary trade and a fur import ban would send a powerful message to the rest of the world,” said Ruth Jones MP.

The Fur Free Britain campaign has the support of celebrities such as Dame Judi Dench, Stella and Sir Paul McCartney, Leona Lewis, Paloma Faith, Simon Pegg, Sue Perkins, Alesha Dixon, Kirsty Gallacher, and Pete Wicks.

A study published in Nature last month found that animals farmed for fur in China carry 39 viruses that pose a high risk of transmission to humans. The authors warn that fur farms could be breeding grounds for future pandemics. British virologists from Imperial College London’s Department of Infectious Disease have similarly warned that mink farms pose as much risk as the bushmeat trade and live animal markets.

“I’ve looked into the eyes of hundreds of animals on fur farms in Finland and these animals are broken souls, tormented their whole lives in tiny barren wire cages, often suffering agonizing untreated wounds and deformities. We know that millions of British people are disgusted by the fact that animals are suffering like this overseas to end up as a piece of fur trim sold here in the UK, so we are enormously grateful to Ruth Jones for introducing this extremely popular bill for a Fur Free Britain. We urge the Labour Government to back the ban,” said Claire Bass, Humane Society International/UK’s senior campaigns and public affairs director.

Polling from April 2022 shows that 77% of British citizens support a ban on importing fur and other products produced using methods that are illegal in the UK.

The Fur Free Britain campaign has already gathered over 1.2 million petition signatures. Many major fashion houses—including Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Prada, Gucci, and Armani—have gone fur-free.

“Ruth Jones’ Private Member’s Bill presents a powerful opportunity for the Government to end our association with the cruel and high-risk fur trade once and for all. Over two decades have passed since fur farming was banned in the UK by the then Labour Government,” said Sonul Badiani-Hamment, UK country director of FOUR PAWS UK, Fur Free Britain coalition partner.

“Now this Bill presents them with an opportunity to fully address our role in what is left of the cruel trade and stop importing and exporting cruelty for good,” continued Badiani-Hamment. “By implementing a nationwide ban on the import and sale of fur products, we can help save the lives of millions of animals who are needlessly killed for their fur, and Labour can start fulfilling their promise to deliver the biggest boost to animal welfare in a generation.” 

Reports from FOUR PAWS UK and HSI/UK highlight the environmental damage caused by the fur industry, which uses hazardous chemicals and produces a carbon footprint greater than cotton, polyester, or acrylic. Fur farms also pollute local waterways with waste, adding to the industry’s environmental impact.