FW: We Can Ban Fur Farming in Ireland This Year - With Your Help!

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> We Can Ban Fur Farming in Ireland This Year - With Your Help!> Wed, 28 May 2008 14:23:48 -0400> > - > "ARAN" <arancampaigns> "ARAN" <arancampaigns> Wednesday, May 28, 2008 2:14 PM> We Can Ban Fur Farming in Ireland This Year - With Your Help!> > > Dear ARAN Supporters,> >> > The Irish government is to launch the new animal health & welfare bill for> > Ireland later this year and we have one realistic opportunity to ban fur> > farming in Ireland, but we need your help right now. The public> consultation> > process on the new animal health & welfare bill opens today. Details of> the> > proposed bill and how to make a submission are on the Department of> > Agriculture's website by clicking here> >> <http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animal_health/AHWBill_PublicConsultationPaper> > 280508.doc> . If you have problems with that link please let us know.> >> > We need you to make a submission saying that the new Animal Health & > Welfare> > Bill should include a ban on fur farming, it's simple and straightforward.> > The new bill is a real opportunity for fur farming to be banned, but this> > will only happen with you getting active and taking part in this important> > initiative.> >> > Here are some important points you should include, if you need help please> > contact us.> >> > * There are 5 mink farms, one of which also has foxes, operating in> > the Republic of Ireland at present. The animals are kept in small cages> and> > never allowed out. At around 6 months old they are killed for their fur.> > Mink are gassed and foxes are killed by anus-to-mouth electrocution.> > * Fur farming is already illegal in Northern Ireland and in the UK.> > * Mink and foxes are not fully domesticated and are not naturally herd> > or flock animals - therefore they are particularly unsuited to factory> farm> > conditions.> > * On fur farms, mink and foxes are confined in small cages and cannot> > carry out their natural behaviours. In particular, mink are not provided> > with water for swimming and foxes are unable to carry out digging> > activities.> > * A comprehensive scientific report on "The Welfare of Animals Kept> > for Fur Production" by the European Commission's Scientific Committee on> > Animal Health and Animal Welfare (SCAHAW) in 2001 concluded that: "current> > husbandry systems cause serious problems for all species of animals reared> > for fur ..." (p. 182):> >> > Please take time out today and help us make history for animal welfare in> > Ireland, remember, you are all the animals have!> >> > Thank you,> >> > Christina Lynch> > Youth Events Coordinator> > Animal Rights Action Network> > www.ARAN.ie> > www.bebo.com/irishanimalrights> >> > > ----------> ----> > > > Checked by AVG.> Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1466 - Release 5/25/08> 6:49 PM>