Animal rights activists staged a protest today, calling for the abolition of fur farming in Ireland outside the Fianna Fáil headquarters on Lower Mount Street, Dublin.
Sporting signs reading, ‘Fur is worn by beautiful animals or ugly women’ the activists targeted Fianna Fáil claiming that the party accepted the gassing and electrocution of 170 000 minks each year. Furthermore, according to the Alliance for Animal Rights, minks are kept and bred under cruel conditions .
Showing her support at the protest was Independent TD, Maureen O’Sullivan.
She said, “I am continuing the legacy of my good friend Tony Gregory.
“I think these fur farms need to be abolished. The green party are making some progress on fur farming and puppy factories.”
While Fianna Fáil had the power to stop fur farming it chose to defeat a bill introduced by the Green Party in 2005 to abolish fur farming in Ireland. Today six farms operate in the country, while the UK has banned these practices.
Currently a new Animal Health and Welfare Bill is being drafted which could see restrictions on fur farming.
“Also Fianna Fáil are targeted because they’re not opposed to hunting or any of the other animal abuses, that we consider wrong… because they’re all involved in blood sports, in coursing, in fox hunting, everything” said Bernie Wright from AFAR.
Fianna Fáil declined to comment on the protest.