Celebrities and Animal Protection Groups Band Together for a #FurFreeBritain
In support of the #FurFreeBritain campaign, 50 celebrities signed a joint letter in conjunction with PETA, Humane Society International, Animal Aid, Four Paws, Open Cages, and Save Me Trust, calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to end fur importation and sales.
Dame Judi Dench, Dame Twiggy Lawson, Ricky Gervais, Gary Lineker OBE, Brian May CBE, Sir Mark Rylance, Fearne Cotton, Joanna Lumley, and Simon Pegg are among the celebrities who added their names to the cause.
The letter points out the following:
“The UK imports fur from Poland, China, Finland and beyond, where countless investigations have revealed the terrible suffering endured by these animals. Their blood is on our hands for as long as Britain is open for business with the fur trade.”
What’s Wrong With Fur?
Fur farming has been illegal in Britain for over two decades, but cruelly produced fur items are still being imported and traded here, causing animals around the world to suffer.
On fur farms, animals typically spend their entire lives confined to cramped, filthy cages, where they have no opportunity to engage in natural kinds of behaviour, such as playing, running, finding food, and raising a family. The stress of this extreme confinement often drives them insane, and fighting, self-mutilation, and cannibalism are common.
At the end of their miserable lives, they face a horrific death – often by gassing, electrocution, or poisoning.
Moving Towards a #FurFreeBritain
In June 2018, during a parliamentary debate, MPs spoke out in favour of ending the fur trade in the UK altogether, but unfortunately, no clear commitment on this issue was made.
Major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and São Paulo have already banned the sale of fur. The London Borough of Islington has done the same, becoming the first UK council to do so. The ban in Islington means traders will no longer be able to sell anything containing fur stolen from animals at markets around the borough.
These forward-thinking places recognise that innovative faux-fur fabrics are better for the environment and spare animals a miserable life and a painful death. The UK needs to join them.
This year, the nation is no longer bound by EU trade regulations prohibiting a ban on fur importation, so it’s time to take action. Join the movement for a #FurFreeBritain – sign our petition calling for a ban on all fur sales in the UK:
