Норвегия планирует поэтапный запрет на работу ферм по разведению пушных зверей

Norway to phase out fur farms. Norway’s Labour Party, the dominant member of the country’s coalition government, finally seems to have lost patience with the Norwegian fur industry, after repeated cases of animal abuse. Labour has expressed its dissatisfaction with the fur industry on several occasions but never taken concrete action. While one of its coalition partners, the Socialist Left party (SV), has long called for a phase out of fur farms, Labour’s other partner, the rural-oriented Centre Party (Senterpartiet, Sp),has opposed an outright ban. Sp wants to keep giving the industry another chance to rid itself of rogue fur farm owners and improve conditions for the caged animals. Labour has been accused of dragging its feet on the issue, especially when it was announced that release of yet another report on the fur industry’s status would be “delayed” until after the national elections this autumn. The postponement angered animal rights activists, with NOAH members demonstrating outside Parliament and demanding that Labour follow through on earlier promises to shut down fur farms. Now it seems to be doing so, with a majority on its committee recommending that fur farms be phased out, over the next 4 years. There are around 260 fur farms left in Norway, and examples of injured animals and poor caged conditions continue to pop up in the local media. NOAH delivered animal cages filled with flowers to the Office of the Prime Minister, to illustrate alternative lines of business for the fur farmers. The fur business has been booming, however, and the fur farmers have doubled their revenues just in the last 3 years. Prices for mink, for example, haven’t been higher since 1987, the marketing director of industry trade association Norges Pelsdyralslag, told newspaper Dagsavisen in December, which explains why the farmers don’t want to see their industry phased out. “Bloody unfair” is how one farmer reacted to Labour’s position, claiming that fur farming is one of the only lucrative areas within farming in Norway in general. Horrific photos of stressed animals with their tails chewed off, or with open sores, have led to widespread public criticism of fur farmers, however, and a survey conducted by research bureau Norstat for NRK last autumn showed that a majority of Norwegians don’t support the industry. Labour’s program committee’s recommendation may push a ban through Parliament, since at least 2 other parties (SV and, in opposition, Venstre) also support a ban. Helga Pedersen, deputy leader of Labour, told NRK that the industry “has had very many chances” to improve its record. Now it faces the consequences of the failure of too many of its members to do so. Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional |