Finnish Fur Farms Not as Humane as Billed

Fox pups cannibalizing each other, animals crammed into cages alongside rotting corpses, and foxes with missing legs and ears—these are just a few of the horrors uncovered during an investigation of 83 Finnish fur farms by Finnish animal rights organization Oikeutta Eläimille (Justice For Animals). Shockingly, most of the farms were certified for humane treatment of animals. If humane treatment is defined as gaping wounds, missing body parts, and rampant untreated infections, what must the uncertified farms be like?

Among the “certified” farms that were investigated was one belonging to the chair of Finnish Fur Sales, a huge auction company that consistently hypes fur farming as humane. Farms belonging to the chair and vice chair of the Finnish Fur Breeders’ Association were also videotaped. Even the Finnish prime minister is connected to the fur industry, and her farm was filmed as well. On all the farms belonging to these high-ranking furriers, Oikeutta Eläimille documented the same intense suffering and lack of veterinary care as on the other certified farms.

Fur from Finland is exported all around the world. So the next time that someone tries to tell you that “ranched fur” is humane, show them this video.

Written by Michelle Kretzer