Fury as bans on hunting trophies and foie gras absent from Labour’s animal-welfare shake-up
The government’s inability to ban the import of real animal fur from grisly farms abroad as part of animal welfare regulation has long frightened campaigners who have called for a ban.
The lack of a ban on the import of hunting trophies and foie gras has also disappointed conservationists and animal protectionists.
Ministers are promising to set up a working group on fur “with the participation of both industry experts and those who support restrictions on the trade” and are considering the ban.
Mink, fox and raccoon dogs have been filmed resorting to cannibalism and suffering painful injuries on fur farms linked to high-end and luxury brands sold in the UK.
An investigation at a fur farm in Finland revealed that a “bloody, wheezing” animal had been gnawed on by its cellmate, minks lay dead in cages, and others had eyes missing, cuts and bloody noses.
Britain banned fur farming in 2003, but hundreds of millions of pounds worth of fur is imported; Most of them come from China, the US, France and Italy, as well as Poland, which voted to close fur farms two months ago.
Claire Bass, from Humane World for Animals UK, said of the fur working group: “Successive governments have built extremely solid evidence in support of the ban, so it remains to be seen what more the government’s proposed Taskforce could do.”
Hunters in the UK pay thousands of pounds each year to legally shoot animals abroad and bring back their corpses or body parts as souvenirs. Eduardo Goncalves, founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, was shocked that a ban on trophy imports was not included in Labour’s manifesto.
“MPs from all parties, including Labor, have submitted questions asking the government to announce its timetable for meeting its manifesto commitment on trophy hunting. So far none have appeared,” he said.
“The delay is puzzling. The government could immediately impose a moratorium on trophy import licences, as a growing number of European and other countries have done.
“The government says it wants to legislate. Defra, the responsible government department, has already drafted the bill. In fact, it was passed unanimously in the House of Commons as a private member’s bill.”
He said 86 per cent of the 44,000 people who commented in the consultations supported the ban, and MPs from all parties except one were calling for the ban to be implemented urgently.
Mr Goncalves added: “Polls show that 9 in 10 voters support the ban. The question must be asked: What is the government waiting for?”
The Conservatives have broken repeated promises to ban hunting trophy imports and the Lords have twice blocked separate bills to implement the ban.
The Conservative Animal Welfare Trust also said it was disappointing the strategy did not include a cup ban.
Environment Minister Emma Reynolds told MPs last week that the government was committed to enforcing the ban and would take further action on a case-by-case basis.
The Government is understood to believe that a timeframe for introducing the legislation will be provided once the future Parliamentary calendar is set.
Sean Gifford, chief executive of the Humane League UK, said: “Unfortunately the animal welfare strategy is failing in some areas. Banning the import of foie gras, one of the cruelest of all animal products, is not even mentioned.”
Rishi Sunak’s government has abandoned plans to ban both foie gras and fur imports in 2022.
The strategy said ministers would “explore legislative and non-legislative options with industry and NGOs to stop the UK advertising of poor animal welfare activities abroad”, citing the UK’s sale of trips to cruel tourist attractions abroad, such as elephant riding, elephant painting and games, and swimming with dolphins.
Meanwhile, trade think tank Animal Policy International warns that potential bans on chicken cages and pig farrowing crates could be weakened by a “loophole” that would see low-welfare imports flood the UK market.
Co-managing director Mandy Carter said: “Unless we close the import gap, we are asking British farmers to compete with one hand tied behind their backs and taking the oppression offshore.
“There is a change in Switzerland’s agreement with the EU. We need the government to do the same.”
The government says farmers and producers in the UK are already being supported with grants to help renovate housing for chickens and pigs.
The trade strategy, announced in June, praises “a commitment to maintaining high standards of environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety.”
Comment was requested from the Ministry of Environment.
Activists are celebrating the strategy’s “landmark” animal welfare reforms, including a ban on chicken cages, pig farrowing crates, carbon dioxide stunning of pigs, traps, puppy mills and electric shock collars for dogs.
They also welcome the controversial promise to ban trail hunting.
