A petition demanding an end to the sale of fur in Luxembourg has garnered nearly 1,600 signatures a mere 24 hours after being opened online.
Petition n°605, submitted by Luxembourg resident Yves Stocklausen, was passed through by Parliament and opened to signatures on 9 February 2016 on the Chamber of Deputies' website, where it has now reached over a quarter of the signatures needed for it to be debated by Parliament.
In his petition, Mr. Stocklausen called for the sale of fur-based coats, jackets and hats to cease in the Grand Duchy, stating that the cruelty inflicted on animals to obtain this fur should not be tolerated. The petitioner listed examples of such processes, including death by electrocution of the genitals.
There are around 6,000 fur farms in the EU, which accounts for 63% of global mink production. Denmark marches ahead as the leading mink-producing country, followed closely by China which imports the greatest quantitites of fur pelts across the world and exports the most finished fur products.
Mr. Stocklausen expressed his hope that, although Luxembourg plays a relatively small role in the overall market, the country could lead by example by putting an end to its fur trade and in so doing, encourage other European Union Member States to follow suit. If the Grand Duchy were to implement a ban on the sale of fur, it would be joining other EU States which have taken similar actions, for example the fur farming ban established by Austria, Croatia and the UK.
Whilst Mr. Stocklausen highlighted the suffering experienced by the millions of animals killed for their coats every year, an overlooked aspect of the field was the money that fur farming and trading ranks in. A 2014 claim by the International Fur Federation that "the global fur trade is valued at more than $40bn" could see challenges ahead for Mr. Stocklausen's.
If you wish to sign the petition, click here.
