Nicole van Gemert, director of Dutch animal protection organization Bont voor Dieren:
‘Ever since our foundation Bont voor Dieren has put up a battle against the Dutch mink breeders. We have had to endure some major setbacks, the overturn of the mink ban last year being the absolute low point. But perseverance kills the game: not only is the mink ban back in force, all expansions of mink farms carried out since the ban was announced are now illegal.’
Bont voor Dieren has worked hard to expose the cruelty of the lives of millions of mink on fur farms. A long period of intensively campaigning has lead up to this glorious victory for animal rights.
For Dutch mink breeders the verdict means that all farm expansions made since the ban came into force in 2013 have instantly become illegal. Van Gemert:
‘There is still a lot of work needing to be done over the next years. Legal proceedings against all expansions of Dutch mink farms are first on the list. Not until the last Dutch mink breeder shuts its doors, we will stop exposing the cruel truth of the lives of millions of mink on Dutch fur farms.’
The Netherlands is the world’s fourth largest mink producing country with an annual production of around 6 million mink. In 2012 the Dutch senate voted for a mink ban based on ethical grounds. Mink breeders were given a transition period of 12 years. In 2014 Dutch court overturned the mink ban stating that the compensation offered to mink breeders was insufficient. Today’s final ruling means mink farming will be put to a definite end in 2024.
The complete verdict (in Dutch) can be read here.
