Fur farms have been banned in other countries. But despite concerns about animal welfare and methods of slaughter, five continue to be licensed to operate in the Republic, writes Eileen Battersby

Christmas is approaching and with the season of good will comes the season of slaughter. And it is not just turkeys and geese. Mink as well as silver and arctic fox, bred under the intensive battery conditions which prevail on fur farms, are due to be slaughtered about now, at six months of age, when their coats are in prime condition. The mink are gassed, the foxes are killed by having an electrode placed in the rectum and another placed in the mouth. The animal is then electrocuted until its heart stops, thus leaving its coat undamaged.

It sounds barbaric. It is. Yet this practice is legal in the Republic under licences granted by the Department of Agriculture. The annual licence, it should be noted, is required only for mink farming and is concerned with security, not animal welfare.

Fur farmers seeking a licence must guarantee that no animals escape and present a threat to the environment - as has happened in the past, judging by the presence of a wild mink population. Escape is difficult as these wild animals, solitary by nature and given to neither living in herds nor flocks, are kept in cages which are, in the case of the mink, about the size of two shoeboxes.

Animal welfare campaigners across the world have consistently battled for humane conditions for farm animals that are bred for the table. But fur farming is different; there is no humane solution. "There is no solution, no justification," says Independent TD Tony Gregory. "Fur farming is immoral and unnecessary. You can't make it better, because it should not be happening."

At present there are five licensed fur farms - two having recently amalgamated - operating in the Republic. There are none in Northern Ireland because fur farming has been banned in the UK since January 2003. It is also banned in Austria and is in the process of being phased out in Italy. Fox farming is currently being phased out in the Netherlands and Sweden.

In March 2005, the Green Party, then in opposition, launched its Private Members' Bill, the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill, 2004, which sought to end the practice in Ireland. Speaking at the launch, Trevor Sargent, TD, the then leader of the Green Party, said, "The intention of this Private Members' Bill is to end this needless and cruel practice." He added, "Opinion polls have shown that the majority of Irish people do not want to be associated with the cruelty of fur farming."

The Bill was supported by all opposition members but was defeated by the then government. During the debate, Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan said, "I am opposed to the introduction of a ban on fur farming." Outlining her reasons, she continued, "Any market opportunities resulting from a ban here would be immediately exploited by producers elsewhere. Thus, a unilateral ban here would not make any contribution to overall animal welfare."

This position has not changed, as a series of Parliamentary Questions submitted as recently as October 31st to the Minister, shows. During those questions, the Minister confirmed that in 2006, approximately 170,000 mink and approximately 300 foxes were slaughtered in Ireland. The Minister also confirmed that the slaughter methods used "included gassing and electrocution". On contacting the Department of Agriculture in researching this article, The Irish Times was directed to the press office and asked to submit any questions in writing. This was done but to date there has been no response. Efforts were also made to contact the individual who issues the licences, but The Irish Times was directed back to the press office.

It is understood that the Government's acceptance of fur farming is based on an economic argument. However, Mary-Anne Bartlett, director of Compassion in World Farming - Ireland, has pointed out that the economic benefit to Ireland is so small - amounting to €3.6 million per annum - as to be easily rectified by compensation. "Fur farming is highly intensive. These animals are kept in small cages, the droppings and urine fall through the bars. There is little mucking out to be done. The animals are not exercised. Between 50 to 70 minks are gassed at a time. If you consider the battery-animal existence of these animals, it is easy to see why the human involvement is so limited. Fur farms require very little staffing. As for the killing and skinning, this only happens on a seasonal basis."

In reply to deputy Gregory's parliamentary question asking whether she had plans to "prohibit the usage of a method (details supplied) for the killing of foxes on fur farms here; and if her attention had been drawn to the public concern at the method of killing", the Minister for Agriculture, stated: "I am aware of public concern regarding the method of killing foxes" and she added "I have no plans to prohibit it."

NO LICENCE IS required for fox farming. At present, silver and arctic foxes are being farmed on one of the five mink farms.

The international attitude towards the wearing of items made from the skins of animals killed only for their pelts has changed dramatically. Once favoured by the rich and famous, the wearing of fur is now a highly emotive issue, culminating in the famous anti-fur wearing slogan, "It takes up to 40 dumb animals to make a fur coat. But only one to wear it." The fur coat is no longer a status symbol. "No one needs to wear fur, no one should wear fur," says Senator Dan Boyle, who drafted the Green Party's 2004 Bill. "The Green Party, and myself as an individual, believe that fur farming should not exist. I'd be very surprised if there is even 10 per cent of the population who have either a demand for fur products or condone the operation of fur farms."

Throughout the election campaign, Trevor Sargent promised to ban fur farming. "If the Green Party gets into government," said Sargent on April 18th this year. "Our position in relation to fur farming is that we will legislate to ban it."

The current situation illustrates the compromises of coalition government. According to Celine O'Donovan, Animal Welfare co-ordinator for the Green Party, "Being in government is more complex than being in opposition."

Political strategy means little to concerned campaigners. According to Mary-Anne Bartlett, director of Compassion in World Farming - Ireland, the welfare issues are indefensible. "Regardless of how you feel about fur, it cannot be ignored that mink and foxes are wild animals. They are not domesticated and are not suited to intensive farming conditions. In the wild they live alone, they are not social by nature. The mink is semi-aquatic and needs water; foxes love digging, they burrow.

"That such farming practices are allowed in Ireland - and don't forget fox farming is not even licensed, it goes on in one of the mink farms - does huge damage to the image of Irish farming and agriculture."

Arguments such as that the animals are fed and kept in clean conditions are irrelevant. "It is in the best interests of the fur farmers to feed the animals - otherwise the coats would suffer," she says. Farmed animals are fed a porridge-like mixture of chicken, meat and fish offal radically different from what they would eat in the wild.

"It is also worth stressing that these animals are killed at six months, having had absolutely no life, no chance to develop, they live in fear and, once slaughtered, their bodies are then incinerated. You can't compare fur with leather - leather is a by-product of animals that are slaughtered for food. Fur is an unnecessary, luxury item."

MEMBERS OF SEVERAL animal rights groups came together last spring to establish Aliberation. Volunteers distribute fact sheets to the public and organise petitions, one of which has already been submitted to the Department of Agriculture. According to volunteers working on Dublin's Grafton Street recently, many members of the public are shocked by the notion of fur farming. "They are shocked and sickened that it still goes on and are horrified to discover that it happens in Ireland," explains Ed Long of Aliberation. "I spoke to a girl a few hours ago who said she thought 'stuff like this only went on in China where there is no respect for animals'. But I don't think there is all that much here either. I'd like to know how many other foxes, aside from the official 300 (albeit unlicensed on the mink farms), how many rabbits?"

The Irish Times approached one of the country's best-known furriers, Vard's on South Anne Street in Dublin. The person in the store declined to be interviewed but confirmed that Vard's buys its skins at auctions abroad. In a subsequent phonecall, Vard's again refused to comment, saying, "We have nothing to say".

Mary-Anne Bartlett participated in a RTÉ afternoon television programme feature on fur farming last December 16th. Also appearing was Caroline Barnardo, of Barnardo Furs. The presenter asked Barnardo how she felt about the use of gassing. "When I go to the dentist he gives me a little bit of gas to get my teeth out and I'm very comfortable with that. I don't suffer any pain," she answered. The presenter pointed out that it didn't kill her. "If I were very ill," said Barnardo, "I would actually like to be gassed and put to sleep."

But the gassing of mink, aside from the moral aspect, is contentious, as a mink is semi-aquatic and capable of holding its breath, which results in a slow and painful death.

"Yes, it's horrible" agrees Tony Gregory. "Yes, it's unnecessary. None of this should be going on. That such practices are legal says a lot about our attitudes to animal welfare as well as basic morality. It is unjustifiable; most people know that, except of course, the government."