Following RÚV’s reporting on fur farming in Iceland last week, accompanied by photos taken by Finnish photographer and animal rights activist Kristo Muurima that show conditions on Icelandic fur farms, there has been renewed discussion about banning fur farming in the country.
Þóra Jóhanna Jónasdóttir, the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST), told RÚV that the government should reconsider the laws permitting fur farming in Iceland, as has been done in many parts of Europe. She added that the animals cannot express their natural behaviour while confined to small cages.
Images taken by Kristo in October and November of last year document conditions at three of the six mink farms that were operating in Iceland at the time. All of these farms have since ceased operations for financial reasons, and, according to RÚV, only one fur farm remains in operation in the country.
“I found it very distressing to see these images, especially considering that these farms — which have now ceased operations—were inspected not long before, and follow-ups were carried out. At some of the farms, violations of animal welfare regulations were found, though not at all of them. It is sad that those remarks did not lead to more lasting improvements than what we see in these images,” says Þóra.
Fur farming has largely ceased in Iceland, and most countries within the EU have banned it, with those bans either already in effect or set to take effect in the coming years. Þóra believes Icelandic authorities should consider following the same path.
“I think the authorities need to examine the basis on which decisions about this kind of activity are made. There has been a wave across Europe to reassess this, and I believe Icelandic authorities need to do the same,” she says.
The Icelandic Veterinary Association has expressed support for the Chief Veterinary Officer’s comments and is urging the government to take a firm stance against fur farming as the industry’s regulations are reviewed.