Eläinjärjestöt lähettivät EU-komissaareille terveisiä ”maailman onnellisimmasta maasta”

Kuva: Anna Savolainen Postikorttikuva: Kristo Muurimaa

Animalia, Oikeutta eläimille ja SEY Suomen eläinsuojelu lähettivät EU-komissiolle kirjeen, joka vaatii turkistarhauksen kieltämistä EU:ssa.

EU-komissio on luvannut antaa vastauksensa Fur Free Europe -kansalaisaloitteeseen maaliskuussa, ja nyt järjestöt vetoavat komissioon, jotta se tekisi kaikkensa tarhauksen kieltämiseksi. Pelkät kosmeettiset muutokset turkiseläinten pito-olosuhteissa eivät ratkaise alan eläimille aiheuttamia vakavia hyvinvointiongelmia ja kärsimystä.

EU-komissaarit saavat terveiset “maailman onnellisimmasta maasta”, jossa tuhannet eläimet kärsivät edelleen häkeissä vuosittain niillä noin 300 tarhalla, jotka ovat vielä toiminnassa – vaikka turkikset eivät käy enää kaupaksi ja alan taloudellinen merkitys Suomelle on mitätön.

Dear Commissioner,

Greetings from Finland – “the happiest country in the world”!

Happiness does not live on Finnish fur farms where thousands of animals suffer every year.

As Poland is banning fur farming, Finland will be the only EU Member State farming foxes and raccoon dogs for their fur. Only a few other EU countries still allow mink farming.

We represent the three largest animal advocacy organisations in Finland. We want to remind you that over 80 per cent of Finns are against fur farming. The overwhelming majority of the nation wishes for the EU to end the suffering at Finnish fur farms.

Only around 300 fur farms still operate in Finland, and fur farms employ around 400 FTE. Fur farming is largely a part-time and secondary activity for fur farmers. The industry has last been profitable over 10 years ago due to the worldwide decline in the demand for fur. An EU wide ban on fur farming would provide clarity for the farmers.

The economic importance of the fur industry in Finland is insignificant but it poses a significant public health threat for all EU citizens.

In 2023 Avian influenza spread on Finnish fur farms. Almost half a million animals at 71 farms were culled in order to prevent the disease from spreading further. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare has declared that fur farming in its current form poses an ongoing risk for an epidemic of greater proportions than the COVID-19 pandemic.

Images from fur farms over the last decades show the daily suffering of animals farmed for their fur, and that the situation has not improved over the years. For instance, foxes are suffering from painful foot problems. Minks suffer from open wounds, severe obesity and eye infections. In addition, fur farming causes mental distress: animals suffer from serious stereotypical behaviour and apathy as they cannot exercise even the most basic species-specific behavioural needs.

Animals at Finnish fur farms are suffering from the same welfare problems that were confirmed by EFSA in 2025. Small cages do not allow free movement or opportunities for e.g. burrowing, exploring the environment, foraging for food, or chewing. According to EFSA, is not possible to ensure sufficient animal welfare or to mitigate the serious welfare concerns in cage-based systems.

Small changes to farming conditions cannot solve the animal suffering caused by fur farming.

We therefore call on you to honour the European citizens’ views and ban fur farming as requested by the Fur Free Europe citizens’ initiative. Only a ban on fur farming can end the needless animal suffering and remove the risk of a pandemic originating from a fur farm.

We assure you that taking this decision will be welcomed across Finland and the EU.

We are happy to provide more information on the situation in Finland.

Yours sincerely,

Heidi Kivekäs   
Executive Director 
Animalia 

Salla Tuomivaara
Executive Director
Justice for Animals

Kati White
Executive Director
SEY Animal Welfare Finland