Animal rights activists turn heat on Coughlan to ban fur farming
Thursday January 31 2008
ANIMAL rights activists yesterday accused Agriculture Minister Mary Coughlan of turning a blind eye to the suffering of animals on fur farms.
More than 50 members of Animal Rights Action Network (ARAN) picketed the minister's department in Dublin demanding that fur farming be banned in the forthcoming Animal Welfare Bill.
The demonstrators carried posters showing graphic images of the fur trade and video footage of animals being skinned for their fur.
ARAN spokesman John Carmody said that while fur farming was banned in the UK, up to 170,000 mink, arctic and silver fox were caged in five fur farms in the State.
These were reared in small cages before being killed at about six months old for their fur.
A Department of Agriculture spokesman said the Bill was only in its earliest stage and he did not know whether fur farming would be addressed in the new legislation.
- Fergus Black
