Global awareness leads to pursuit to become first nation to go FUR FREE!
CAFT Ireland, a leading anti-fur group formed in 2005, has joined Israel in the fight to get their nation completely fur free!
The competition of compassion has begun, and this Dublin-based is delighted to be a part of it.
Due to campaign pressure, real fur isn’t widely available in Ireland, with just 3 furriers left in the country, and a very small number of shops selling vintage fur.
In 2009, an exposé uncovering the horrors inside Irish fur farms lead to a new campaign, which brought these activists directly outside the farms, traveling to each one protesting and setting up information tables in the nearby towns.
The government then finally agreed to a 3year phase-out of fur farming in Ireland – set for completion in 2012. The protests outside the farms continue, but the group have created a new tactic in their fight against fur.
Inspired by Israel’s Anti-Fur Coalition, and by a student group in Co. Kerry - who got fur banned by Tralee Town Council - They decided to push for a legal ban on the import and sale of real fur in Ireland.
Beginning in July, they contacted every council in the country regarding the issue. Dublin City Council was the first to adopt the ban led by Cieran Perry, and then Fingal County Council passed the motion too. They are in talks with other councils at the moment as well, and this ‘domino effect’ campaign is set to be a huge success.
Unfortunately though, due to current trading laws, these fur ban motions will only have effect on fairs, markets, stalls and council-organized events - not individual shops or boutiques. However, once CAFT have the majority of councils behind them, they will be bringing this to a governmental level, and will campaign for a change in the trading laws concerning real fur. Local councillors are already writing to government officials about this, on their behalf.
So the big question is: Which country will be fur-free first? The race is on!
One thing is sure though: This will be a huge victory for the millions of animals killed by this cruel industry every year.