New poll: Swedish people say no to fur farming

A majority of Swedes do not think it should be allowed to breed minks in cages for their fur, according to a recent poll conducted by the survey company Demoskop on behalf of Djurens Rätt (Animal Rights Sweden). The opposition to fur farming was found among supporters of all parties in the parliament.

It should not be allowed to breed minks in cages for their fur according to the Swedish people. To the question "Do you think it should be allowed to breed minks in cages for fur production?" 78 per cent of Swedes said no. The opinion against fur farming is thus unaltered since the previous opinion poll in 2014. Only 15 percent responded that they think mink farming should be permitted.

Fox farming ended Sweden in 2001 when politicians settled that the behavioral needs of foxes could not be met in the cages. As a result of the new rules that followed, fox farming was no longer economically viable. Sweden's last chinchilla farm closed in 2014 because of stricter rules for the keeping of chinchillas. Mink is now the only species that is still bred in cages for fur in Sweden.

- It is high time to give minks the right to their natural behavior, which they according to the current Animal Welfare Act should have, and with this discontinue all fur farming in Sweden, says Camilla Björkbom, Chair of Djurens Rätt.

A number of countries in the world have phased out fur farming, including Britain, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Germany, Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina. In an additional number of countries there are discussions of phasing out, and public opinion against fur farming is strong in the rest of Europe.

- Confining solitary predators in small cages is nothing less than cruelty. Minks in the wild are solitary carnivores, and their natural behavior includes moving over large areas and hunting both on land and in water, says Camilla Bergvall, who is in charge of fur issues at Djurens Rätt.

The opinion poll shows that the resistance to mink farming is slightly higher among women; 87 percent of women do not want this to be allowed, compared to 69 percent among men. Age is also a factor. Among those over age 65 the resistance is at 69 per cent and then it gradually increases to 85 percent for Swedes under the age of 30. The opposition to fur farming was found among supporters of all parties in the parliament even if the resistance was greatest among Green Party voters with 91 percent, and lowest among Christian Democrats voters, at 60 percent.

The survey was conducted by the survey company Demoskop on behalf of Djurens Rätt during the period from 31 March to 8 April 2015. The 1000 telephone interviews were conducted with people from 15 years upwards.

MORE INFORMATION

76% of the Conservative Party (Moderaterna) voters want to phase out fur farming
73% of the Liberal Party voters want to phase out fur farming
60% of Christian Democrats voters want to wind fur farming
76% of Centre Party voters want to wind fur farming
91% of the Green Party voters want to wind fur farming
82% of Social Democrats voters want to wind fur farming
87% of Left Party voters want to wind fur farming
64% of the Sweden Democrats voters want to wind fur farming

Source: Djurens Rätt / Demoskop 2015

Countries where fur farming is discontinued

United Kingdom
Croatia
Austria
Slovenia
Switzerland
Bosnia-Herzegovina