The footage, which shows one mink being slowly eaten alive by their cage mates, was filmed as part of our undercover investigation in Lithuania during summer 2018. The internal organs of the mink are visible and it cries in pain as another mink bites and pulls one of their tendons out.

 

An agonising end for this mink, who was unable to escape

Mink being eaten alive was just one of the horrors witnessed, while visiting a total of four fur farms during the Lithuania investigation. At all farms they found animals with stubbed limbs and bones exposed, animals unable to walk, and filthy conditions including pools of faeces and maggot infested piles of dirt.

 

“It’s the most disgusting fur farm footage I have ever seen.”
– The Investigator

 

Lithuania exports around 2 million animal pelts per year, of which the overwhelming majority are exported to and sold in other European countries, including the UK. The size of the cages and conditions seen in the video is typical of fur farms in the European Union, despite the fur industry claiming that all fur farms are regulated to ensure they meet ‘high standards’.

Kerry McCarthy MP for Bristol East was shocked by its graphic nature

Four British MPs who watched the video by Open Cages are rightly calling on Michael Gove to implement a UK wide fur ban. Tom Brake, Sir Roger Gale, Sandy Martin and Kerry McCarthy can all be seen in a ‘reaction’ video on Open Cages’ Facebook page, as they express complete disgust at the suffering exposed by our investigation. Liberal Democrat Tom Brake even had to stop watching the video before it finished, as he was so disturbed by what he was seeing.

Undercover investigations into the fur industry are part of the reason why the Fur Free Britain campaign, which began back in in 2017, has grown from strength to strength. The campaign, which calls for the British government to implement a complete ban on fur products, has seen support from numerous MPs and celebrities, as well as members of the public in their hundreds of thousands.

A combined total of over 400,000 petition signatures to ban the sale of fur in the UK was presented to Downing Street in March earlier this year, and June saw a historic debate on fur in the Houses of Parliament in response to a government e-petition. During the debate there was overwhelming cross-party support for a fur import and sales ban.

We have now set our sights on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Michael Gove, as he has the power to end the UK’s support of the fur trade. We are calling on him to review what is being permitted to be sold in the UK, and prove that the UK really is a ‘world leader in animal welfare’ by banning all sales of fur products.

But we need your support. You can play your part in the Fur Free Britain Campaign by e-mailing Michael Gove and politely expressing to him why the UK should not have any part in the incredibly cruel fur trade.

You can e-mail Michael Gove at michael.gove.mp@parliament.uk

Originally written by Catherine Reda.