Soon in Italy the breeding and killing of fur animals will be just a memory. The Budget Committee in the Senate approved an amendment to the budget maneuver – first signed by the parent company of Leu in the Senate Loredana De Petris – which establishes a ban on breeding, captive reproduction and killing of minks , foxes, raccoons, chinchillas and animals of any species used to make fur.

Prohibition, derogation and indemnities

With the budget maneuver, therefore, the ban on the breeding and killing of fur animals is triggered. In support of the process, the measure allows, by way of derogation, the farms to keep the animals already present in the structures no later than 30 June 2022.

These structures , which have undergone a suspension of activities until 31 December 2021 due to the actual and potential spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among minks, will be subject to monitoring and will be required to strictly observe the safety procedures provided by the Ministry of Health .

On the other hand, there will be compensation for farmers, for which an allocation of 3 million euros is foreseen for 2022.. Companies that still hold the activity code, regardless of the presence or absence of animals, will in fact be recognized a sum for each animal present at the date of entry into force of the law .

Specifically, this is a non-repayable grant corresponding to 30% of the turnover recorded in the last production cycle and a non-repayable grant, up to a maximum of 10,000 euros, to cover the costs incurred for the demolition of the plants or for conversion into a different agricultural activity .

The same companies will also be given a preferential path in the allocation of funds from the PNRR for agricultural development and the creation of agricultural parks. 

What will happen to the animals?

The measure can only raise a legitimate question: when the last active farms are closed, what fate awaits the surviving animals? 

Carla Rocchi, president of ENPA, declared herself skeptical about the possibility that some specimens survive in July 2022 : ” Unfortunately there is still a market for furs: no farmer will reach the end imposed by the government without killing the last mink. “, commented.

If this hypothesis turns out to be incorrect, the situation will need to be monitored. In this perspective, the inter-ministerial decree will also regulate the possible transfer of animals to authorized structures, preferably managed by recognized animal protection associations . Furthermore, the sterilization obligation and compliance with the procedures indicated by the Minister of Health for the prevention of the spread of zoonoses will apply. Piero Genovesi, Ispra research zoologist,

stated : ” The mink is an alien species very dangerous for local birds and amphibians. We must not make the same mistake that was made in the past with the  otters , one of the 100 most invasive alien mammals. to the world. The minks ” he added, ” they will absolutely not be left free. We must prevent any risk “.

An ethical and health measure

In Italy, at the moment, there are five mink farms that have remained active after the 3 thousand animals of the Villa del Conte facility, in the Padua area, were killed on 14 December last.

Recalling that, since February 2021, mink farming in our country has been suspended by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza  precisely because of the danger of transmission of the virus, Senator De Petris said: ” In addition to being an ethical provision, it is a health measure “.

In Europe  , fur farming is already banned inAustria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Luxembourg, North Macedonia, Norway, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia .