MILAN, Italy—A new parliamentary question concerning the fate of mink still confined on Italian farm facilities and previously intended for fur production was presented during Milan Fashion Week and the COP 16.2 on biodiversity in Rome. Humane World for Animals, formerly known as Humane Society International, welcomes this question following a ban on the production of fur products in Italy in 2022.
The question, presented by Senator Dolores Bevilacqua (M5S) and signed by Senator Gisella Naturale (M5S), comes after the confirmed COVID-19 outbreak at a mink farm in Capergnanica, Italy in the province of Cremona. According to recently released information from Lega Anti Vivisezione, an Italian animal protection organization, the identification of a new SARS-CoV-2 outbreak led to the killing of the 900 mink still confined at the facility.
Senator Bevilacqua remarked, “The question I presented, the third on this topic, was prompted by the news of a new SARS-CoV-2 outbreak at a farm where animals still remain, and were intended for fur production before the ban. This outbreak resulted in the culling of 900 minks, posing risks to public health and the environment. Despite the introduction of the breeding ban in 2022, thousands of minks continue to suffer in unacceptable conditions, while the government has yet to issue the decree for their transfer to authorized facilities, as required by law. The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forests must intervene urgently to ensure animal welfare, comply with current regulations, and prevent further risks to the public.”
Humane World for Animals has been at the forefront of the battle that led to the introduction of the fur farming ban in Italy, through an amendment to the 2022 Budget Law. Since then, it has repeatedly emphasized the need for the relevant Ministries to regulate the transfer of animals still confined in farms to facilities managed directly by animal protection organizations or in collaboration with them. Along with other organizations that advocated for the ban, Humane World for Animals proposed a set of structural and management requirements for the transfer of mink to non-commercial facilities.
The failure to enforce the ban has condemned the animals to continue to live in inadequate spaces, exposed to repeated epidemic outbreaks. Of the almost 6,000 mink who were still alive when the 2022 Budget Law came into effect, it is sadly estimated that fewer than 500 individuals remain.
Alessandro Fazzi, institutional relations consultant at Humane World for Animals Italy, comments: “The ministers tasked with ensuring a future for these animals appear to have neglected their duty, effectively condemning or endangering the lives of thousands of sentient beings, as well as the health of Italian citizens. Humane World for Animals Italy calls for the adoption of measures to protect both the animals and the population. Furthermore, during Milan Fashion Week, it renews its appeal to national and international fashion brands to adopt fur-free policies.”
Among the latest companies to respond to the appeal is Max Mara Fashion Group. Following the campaign launched by Humane World for Animals and other members of the Fur Free Alliance during last year’s Fashion Weeks, which included a hot air balloon flyover above Max Mara’s headquarters in Reggio Emilia, the brand ended its use of fur in its collections.
Humane World for Animals reiterates the need for a ban on fur farming throughout the European Union. Sixteen member states—Romania the most recent—have already banned this cruel practice, which also poses risks to public health.
Notes:
Mink from nearly 500 fur farms in 13 countries across Europe and North America have tested positive for COVID-19, while avian influenza A(H5N1) has been found in 72 farms (one in Spain and 71 in Finland). Millions of mink, arctic foxes, red foxes, raccoon dogs, and sables have been killed for public health reasons.
In a July 2023 article in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Professor Wendy Barclay and Dr. Thomas Peacock of Imperial College London describe animal farming for fur production as an extremely risky activity, which—like the trade in wild animal meat—raises the likelihood of future pandemics.