ROME – 21 DECEMBER 2021 – Today, the Italian Senate Budget Committee approved an amendment that will shutdown the country’s 10 remaining fur farms within six months making Italy the 16th country in Europe to ban fur farming. The approved amendment includes an immediate ban on breeding of fur-bearing animals including mink, foxes, raccoon dogs and chinchillas, and the closure of all active fur farms in Italy by 30th June 2022.

Over 60,000 minks were kept and killed every year on Italian fur cage farms, solely for the purpose of fur production. After having adopted a temporary ban linked to the COVID-19 outbreaks in mink farms and the potential impact on public health, Italy decided today to ban fur farming for good.

Simone Pavesi, Animal Free Fashion Area Manager of Italian animal rights organisation LAV, says:

“Italy is a more civilized country, we have put an end to a cruel, anachronistic, unjustifiable industry that has no more reason to exist in a civil society where the value of respect for animals, as sentient beings, is always more widespread and rooted.”

Italy’s historic vote to end the cruel practice of fur farming, following recent fur-free announcements by France and Estonia, has made it more clear than ever: fur will not have a future.