Author: Megan Mersino

Politicians and campaigners gather in Westminster to urge the Government to end the UK’s role in the fur trade

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Clive Tagg/For HSI

LONDON—More than 50 cross-party MPs and Peers attended a Parliamentary event calling for an end to fur imports and sales in Great Britain this week, meaning almost 200 MPs now support the Fur Free Britain campaign. Leading animal protection organisations Humane Society International/UK and FOUR PAWS UK organised the event, to encourage the Government to back the Fur (Import and Sale) Bill tabled last month by Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islywn. Adam Jogee, Labour MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, hosted the event, which was also supported by singer-songwriter Will Young. 

During the event, appalling new footage from HSI/UK’s latest investigation on Finnish fur farms revealed the cruel conditions in which animals are kept in the fur industry. Attendees heard from cross-party MP speakers —Tim Farron MP, Sir Roger Gale MP, Adam Jogee MP and Ruth Jones MP—as well as Kristo Muurimaa of Finnish animal protection group Oikeutta eläimille who has investigated hundreds of fur farms; Mike Moser, former CEO of the British Fur Trade Association turned Fur Free Britain campaigner, and David Leigh-Pemberton from the British Fashion Council who spoke about the decision to ban fur from London Fashion Week.

Singer-songwriter and animal advocate Will Young demonstrated his support via a written statement read to attendees: “This Labour Government promised to ‘introduce the biggest boost in animal welfare in a generation’ and with [Ruth Jones’] Bill there is a real opportunity to deliver on this promise and make a difference to millions of animals. I hope to see the Government put its full support behind this Bill and make a ban on fur imports and sale one of Labour’s first ambitious improvements for animal protection in this session.”

The UK introduced the world’s first fur farming ban over 20 years ago. Despite this historic step, fur can still be imported and sold in the country. HSI/UK estimates that one million animals’ worth of fur is still imported here annually.  

Confined in tiny, barren wire cages for their entire lives, animals on fur farms endure severe physical and mental suffering. They are killed by gassing or electrocution at around eight months old.

Fur farms also pose a major public health risk. Hundreds of outbreaks of COVID-19 have occurred on fur farms and, almost five years after the first reported case of the disease in China, a recent study in scientific journal Nature found dozens of novel viruses in animals from Chinese fur farms, sparking fears of a new pandemic. Leading virologists at Imperial College London have warned that fur farming should be considered in the same high-risk level category as the bushmeat trade and live animal markets.

After the event concluded, host Adam Jogee MP said: “I hear from my constituents about animal welfare issues on a daily basis and fur is no exception. But fur isn’t just an animal welfare issue, it’s a major health risk. Reflecting on COVID-19 almost five years on, the evidence shows that we cannot honestly claim to be doing all that we can to prevent another pandemic if we continue to support trade in a cruel, frivolous fashion product with shockingly high disease risks. I’m proud that the Labour Party banned fur farming over 20 years ago and now it’s time we take another historic step to protect animals and public health by backing Ruth Jones’ Bill and ending the UK’s role in the fur trade for good.”

Recent polling shows that 77% of the British public support a ban on the import of fur and over 1.2 million Fur Free Britain petition signatures have been gathered. Celebrities including Will Young, Dame Judi Dench, Stella and Sir Paul McCartney, Leona Lewis OBE, Alesha Dixon and Strictly Come Dancing’s Pete Wicks have backed the campaign. 

Claire Bass, senior director of campaigns and public affairs at Humane Society International/UK, said: “The UK took a vital step by banning fur farming two decades ago and now Ruth Jones’ Bill represents a critical opportunity to end our involvement in this inhumane, unnecessary, and dangerous industry. We’re delighted that so many new MPs are joining us in urging the Government to back the Bill, reflecting public opinion that protecting animal welfare and public health are much more important than frivolous fur fashion.”

ENDS

Akiyoshi, Rena Bakery, Rotruedee, and Tap Home Cook make the switch to cage-free eggs for a more humane future

Humane Society International / Southeast Asia

Tigrane Hogbossia

BANGKOK, Thailand—This World Egg Day, four beloved Thai restaurants are putting animal welfare first by celebrating World Hen Day instead. Akiyoshi, Rena Bakery, Rotruedee, and Tap Home Cook are proudly announcing their transition to using only cage-free eggs and ensuring that the hens who lay those eggs are treated with greater care and have room to move.

In collaboration with Humane Society International, these popular establishments are leading the way in Thailand’s shift toward more compassionate food choices. Japanese restaurant Akiyoshi, authentic Thai fusion western style Rena Bakery, renowned Thai restaurant Rotruedee and Tap Home Cook, famous for its home-style cooking, are all committing to a cage-free egg supply. This means hens will no longer be confined to cramped cages, and instead will have space to spread their wings, walk, and engage in natural behaviors like dustbathing and perching.

In Thailand, approximately 96.3 million hens are used for egg production, and the majority are confined in small wire cages so small that hens can’t spread their wings or take more than a few steps. In contrast, “World Hen Day is an opportunity to shine a light on the importance of animal welfare and make the point clearly that hens are individuals deserving of basic protections,” said Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand Program Manager for Farm Animal Welfare and Protection at Humane Society International. “Thai consumers, like others around the world, care about animal welfare, and they support companies that share these values. We’re thrilled to work with companies that adopted cage-free policies and are advancing the movement toward cage-free egg production.

These four companies are responding to growing consumer demand for more ethical food choices.  For them, the decision to go cage-free isn’t just about business—it’s about doing what’s right.

“Switching to using 100% cage-free eggs is an important decision for us because it fits with who we are and is what our customers want.” said a spokesperson for the Executive Management team at Akiyoshi.

Mr. Chatchai Komintr, CEO of Rena Bakery added: “After we learned more about how caged hens live, we decided that we needed to do something to help.”

These four businesses join over 50 companies in Thailand, including big names like Minor Foods and Marriott, that have pledged to use exclusively cage-free eggs. Other Thailand brands are also part of this growing shift toward more humane sourcing. Globally, more than 2,000 companies—including Burger King, Bimbo, and Accor—have committed to go cage-free.

The move to cage-free eggs reflects a broader shift toward ethical choices, as more Thai consumers seek out businesses that prioritize animal welfare, and make their preferences known. This is a step toward a brighter, more compassionate future for Thailand’s hens.

ENDS

Media contact: Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand program manager for farm animal welfare and protection at Humane Society International, ltangjerdjaras@hsi.org

It’s time for the law in Iceland to reflect science and ethics by banning commercial whale killing, says Humane Society International

Humane Society International / Europe

Fin whale with seagulls
Elizabeth Tighe-Andino

REYKJAVÍK, Iceland―Iceland’s Pirate Party―the sixth largest political party in the country with six seats in Parliament― has introduced a legislative bill aimed at banning the country’s commercial whaling. Leading animal protection charity Humane Society International―which together with the Avaaz platform is set later this month to hand in more than 2 million petition signatures to the Icelandic government in support of a ban―welcomed the bill.

Iceland’s commercial whaling activity is conducted by just one whaling company, Hvalur hf., run by owner and CEO Kristján Loftsson. Earlier this year, Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Bjarkey Olsen Gunnarsdóttir renewed the company’s commercial whaling licence for one year despite clear evidence in a report by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority that some whales killed in Icelandic hunts took up to two hours to die, with 41% suffering on average 11.5 minutes before dying, in contravention of the Animal Welfare Act.

Claire Bass, Humane Society International/UK’s senior director of campaigns & public affairs, said: “This bill is Iceland’s crossroads moment, where politicians can choose between continuing the brutal and bloody slaughter of these ocean giants to satisfy the demand of just one single whaler in Iceland, or protecting whales from needless suffering. Whales face myriad threats including ship strikes, underwater noise, climate change and entanglement in fishing gear. Killing whales threatens Iceland’s global reputation and is contrary to national animal welfare laws. It’s time for the law in Iceland to reflect science and ethics by banning commercial whale killing once and for all and so we urge Iceland’s legislators to vote in support of this legislation.”

The bill proposes to make whaling illegal by repealing the Act on whaling, no. 26/1949 , and by including whales in the law on the protection, preservation and hunting of wild birds and wild mammals, no. 64/1994 . The bill text makes the case that “Whaling is not Icelandic cultural heritage; Whaling and animal welfare cannot go together; Whales are important in the marine ecosystem; Most of the public is against whaling; The economy and business relationships are at stake; Iceland should be a leading model when it comes to the protection of marine areas and animal species in the sea.”

Fast facts:

  • The International Whaling Commission agreed to enact a global moratorium on all commercial whaling in 1986.
  • Iceland left the IWC in 1992 but returned in 2002 with an exception to the moratorium, despite objections from multiple nations. Since re-joining the IWC, Iceland has killed more than 1,500 whales, including fin whales.
  • Iceland suspended hunting fin whales in 2016 due to a declining market for whale meat in Japan. Hunting resumed for the 2018 season when 146 fin whales were killed, including a pregnant female and a rare fin-blue hybrid whale, plus six minke whales. Icelandic whalers killed a single minke whale between 2019 and 2021, 148 fin whales in 2022, 24 in 2023 and no whales (so far) in 2024.
  • Whales support climate goals by capturing large amounts of carbon and cycling nutrients through the ecosystem. A single whale stores an average of 33 tons of carbon dioxide in their body over a lifetime, which then falls to the seafloor when the whale dies and cycles through the deep-sea ecosystem rather than re-entering the atmosphere. Whales also cycle nutrients between habitats, supporting phytoplankton and increasing carbon capture from photosynthesis.  Fin whales are classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List as globally vulnerable, which means they are considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild, despite decades of recovery since the commercial whaling moratorium.

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Media contact: Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

With support from Humane Society International, Tap Home Cook commits to stop using eggs from caged hens by 2028

Humane Society International / Southeast Asia

danchooalex/iStock.com

BANGKOK, Thailand—Tap Home Cook, a popular café and restaurant group in Thailand, is taking a significant step toward improving animal welfare by committing to only use eggs from cage-free hens by 2028. The pledge was made with the support of the animal protection organisation Humane Society International which is working to improve the welfare of farmed animals in the country.

Tap Home Cook operates three well-known brands: Not Just Another Cup, Tiny Cup and Butter Cup. The company is dedicated to offering more sustainable options for customers while improving its social impact. By shifting to eggs from cage-free hens, Tap Home Cook joins a growing number of Thai businesses prioritizing animal welfare in their supply chains. This company has already begun the transition, with full implementation expected by 2028.

In Thailand, the majority of the 95.8 million hens used for egg production spend their lives in cramped wire cages, each with less space than the area of an A4 sheet of paper. These crowded cages prevent hens from expressing natural behavior such as spreading their wings, nesting, perching and dustbathing. Cage-free systems, on the other hand, offer the opportunity for hens to engage in these vital activities, greatly enhancing their quality of life. Research has shown that hens are sentient, intelligent and sociable animals.

“At Tap Home Cook, we are deeply committed to responsible sourcing,” said Chitraphan Charanachitta, Founder and CEO of Tap Home Cook. “Our transition to cage-free eggs aligns perfectly with our vision We are grateful to Humane Society International for their support in helping us make this important change, and we are excited to be part of the global movement toward more humane practices.

Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand Program Manager, Farm Animal Welfare and Protection for Humane Society International, applauded Tap Home Cook’s leadership: “We are thrilled to see Tap Home Cook take this important step towards improving animal welfare. Their commitment will not only benefit the hens but will also inspire other companies in Thailand to follow suit. HSI in Thailand is ready to support any business looking to improve the welfare of animals in its supply chains.”

Tap Home Cook is joining a broader cage-free movement within Thailand and beyond, as more multinational and local companies make similar cage-free commitments. Global companies with operations in Thailand, such as Central Retail Group, AccorHotels, Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Sodexo, Nestle and Mondelez International, have already started to make the switch to cage-free eggs Additionally, Thai brands like Baan Ying Family, Akiyoshi, Bite Me Softly, Kalpapruek, Rena Bakery, Rotruedee and Sukishi are part of this growing shift toward more humane sourcing.

ENDS

Media contact: Lalada Tangjerdjaras, Thailand program manager for farm animal welfare and protection at Humane Society International, ltangjerdjaras@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Mexico

AP Images for HSI

MEXICO CITY, Mexico—Thanks to a collaboration between Mexico City’s Secretariat of Disaster Risk Management and Civil Protection and Humane Society International/Mexico, over 100 officials from various municipalities—including firefighters, members of search and rescue units, and community brigade personnel—received training on handling animals in crisis. The training, offered throughout 2024, focused on disaster response and pet first aid, covering topics such as CPR and respiratory emergency care.  

“Mexico City is an important geographic priority for civil protection efforts to prepare the population for a disaster, and now animals are being included in these exercises,” said Felipe Márquez, program manager, disaster response, of Humane Society International/Latin America. 

HSI/Mexico has regularly collaborated with the authorities of Mexico City, particularly after the earthquake of September 19, 2017, when the organization provided help to more than 6,200 animals through emergency veterinary clinics. “Mexico City is highly vulnerable to disasters, as we were reminded by the earthquakes in 1985 and 2017, which resulted in a significant number of fatalities and injuries,” said Marquez. 

Mexico is one of the countries in the world with the greatest telluric (subsurface electrical) activity. According to statistics, more than 90 earthquakes are recorded per year with a magnitude greater than 4 degrees on the Richter scale, which is equivalent to 60% of all telluric movements that are recorded in the world. 

Strengthening local capacities is a key focus for HSI/Mexico, which seeks to build a culture of prevention that includes animals in disaster planning. This involves coordinated efforts to set up temporary shelters where people can safely stay with their pets during emergencies. 

“From February to August, we have provided four training sessions for over 100 officials from different departments in Mexico City. The reception has been very positive, with attendees noting that the topics covered are highly relevant to their daily work and crucial for managing the impact of disasters,” says Márquez. 

Coordination between the non-governmental organization and government authorities allows for greater response capacity in the face of the current hurricane season, as well as in the event of any eventual emergency in Mexico City and the rest of the country.

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Media contact: Magaly Garibay, mgaribay@idee.agencia; (+52 55) 5211 873, ext. 104

Humane Society International and Polish Members of Parliament advocate for legislation to halt trophy imports

Humane Society International / Poland

HSI

WARSAW, Poland—Humane Society International and members of the Polish Parliament are urging Poland to ban the import of hunting trophies from endangered species. This call comes alongside the inauguration of the “Still Life. #NotInMyWorld” photographic exhibition by Britta Jaschinski at the Polish Parliament organized by HSI in Poland and the Parliamentary Group for the Protection of Animal Rights. The exhibition aims to expose the harsh reality of trophy hunting. 

Britta Jaschinski’s photographs capture haunting images of animal bodies, skins, paws and heads. The once living creatures have been reduced to lifeless trophies. Her work draws a poignant parallel between the objectification of endangered animals and the traditional concept of “still life,” where inanimate objects, including hunting trophies, are depicted. This powerful visual narrative underscores the negative ethical and ecological implications of trophy hunting. 

Iga Głażewska, Poland country director for HSI/Europe, said: “Hunting trophies are often perceived as symbols of status, but they represent an outdated and colonial view of nature. This exhibition challenges that perception and highlights the severe impact of trophy hunting on both the animals themselves, and on biodiversity and the environment. We firmly believe that Poland should follow the lead of other European countries and adopt a ban on the import of trophies from imperiled species. In the face of the climate and biodiversity crises, it is imperative to eliminate practices that threaten the extinction of more species.” 

Following the opening of the exhibition, where Britta Jaschinski, Professor Rafał Kowalczyk from the Mammal Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and MP Katarzyna Piekarska spoke, a meeting of the Parliamentary Group for the Protection of Animal Rights took place. The meeting focused on trophy hunting and the need for stricter regulations in this area.  

Between 2013 and 2022, the European Union imported hunting trophies from over 27,000 animals threatened by trade and regulated under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Poland alone imported nearly 1,400 such trophies during this period, including those from species like the brown bear, African lion, black bear, cheetah, leopard and rhino. 

Through the #NotInMyWorld campaign, HSI is advocating for a global shift in policies related to trophy hunting. The campaign has already achieved success in several countries. In January 2024, Belgium banned the import of trophies from numerous endangered species. Finland enacted a similar ban in December 2022, and similar legislation is under consideration in France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. 

The “Still Life. #NotInMyWorld” exhibition not only raises awareness about the cruelty of trophy hunting but also reinforces the call for legislative change in Poland. Banning trophy imports would align Poland with other nations taking steps to protect endangered species and support global conservation efforts.

ENDS

Media contact: Iga Glazewska, Poland country director for HSI/Europe: iglazewska@hsi.org 

Humane Society International / Latin America

Eduardo Cabrera

PETEN, Guatemala—Multiple mammals and birds have been released back into the Guatemalan rainforest after being rescued and rehabilitated from incidents of illegal trafficking and cruelty.

Asociacion Rescate y Conservacion de Vida Silvestre, with the support of Humane Society International/Latin America, released the animals in the Maya Biosphere Reserve, a protected area that spans 13.3 million acres in Peten. This joint project aims to tackle wildlife trafficking for the pet trade and other human activities that negatively impact wild animals.

The group of animals included one anteater (Tamandua mexicana), two raccoons (Procyon lotor), one margay (Lepardus wiedii) and two royal toucans (Ramphastos sulfuratus). The anteater, margay and toucans are all protected by legislation in Guatemala as endangered.

Both raccoons were rescued as juveniles back in August 2023. They were treated at the ARCAS rescue center before being moved to larger rehabilitation enclosures. These enclosures replicate a wild environment as closely as possible, ensuring the raccoons’ safety and well-being. The adult toucans arrived separately in 2023, allowing them to retain their wild behavior and quickly advance in their rehabilitation process, which ensures that animals can survive in the wild by hunting for food, hiding from predators and learning how to fly, jump or run.

Andrea Borel, executive director of Humane Society International/Latin America said: “The capture of wild animals for the national and international pet trade is a real problem in Guatemala. These animals are often kept in cramped, inadequate conditions not suitable for their species and denied the ability to exhibit their natural behaviors, which can further cause them physical and psychological distress. By supporting and working with our local partner, ARCAS, we are able to help animals regain their freedom as well as increase their wild populations to ensure future breeding in their natural forest habitat where they belong. We also work together on awareness raising to urge citizens not to buy products from wildlife and to report any such suspicious activity to the authorities.”

ARCAS director Fernando Martinez said: “Our mission is to reinforce existing wildlife populations, to prevent the extinction of species and thus ensure that there are healthy populations capable of adapting and reproducing in their natural habitat. We are proud that our rescue center is a pioneer in endemic species rehabilitation and release in our region, and we appreciate HSI/Latin America’s support.”

ARCAS carries out the physical, medical and behavioral rehabilitation of victims of wildlife trafficking and exploitative human activities, under strict scientific management standards. HSI/Latin America and ARCAS have been working together in wildlife protection and conservation in Guatemala since 2007. The release was conducted with the authorization of Guatemalan authorities from the National Council for Protected Areas, or CONAP.

ENDS

Media contact: Grettel Delgadillo: gdelgadillo@hsi.org

Humane Society International / Canada

Wolf in the snow
Marco Arduino/Alamy Stock Photo

OTTAWA, Ontario—Wolf Awareness, WeHowl, Animal Justice, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Humane Society International/Canada and Animal Alliance of Canada are applauding a decision by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency to cease the use of the poison strychnine for killing wild animals, including wolves, coyotes and black bears. 

The decision to cancel the registration of products containing this dangerous poison follows years of advocacy and campaigning, including a request for special review of strychnine and other predacides filed by a coalition of groups in December 2020. Today’s decision reverses the PMRA’s initial proposal in August 2022 to allow the continued use of both strychnine and Compound 1080. That proposed decision was widely condemned by animal protection and conservation groups because of the cruel nature of these indiscriminate poisons and the serious harm that they cause to the environment.   

Strychnine is notorious for causing some of the most agonizing symptoms of any poison, including muscular convulsions that can last up to 24 hours or longer before an animal finally succumbs to exhaustion or suffocation. Due to its gruesome nature, it featured prominently in Agatha Christie murder mystery novels. 

In addition to the unnecessary pain the poison inflicts on its intended targets, it is known to recklessly kill hundreds of non-target animals each year, including companion dogs, birds of prey and endangered species. These animals suffer and die after consuming poison baits or from consuming the bodies of other poisoned animals. 

“This decision is a huge victory for wild animals across Canada,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy with Animal Justice. “Strychnine is among the most gruesome poisons in existence. We are thrilled that animals will no longer endure the agony of strychnine poisoning on the Canadian landscape.”    

“Strychnine not only kills the intended wolves, coyotes, black bears and skunks,” said Hannah Barron, conservation director with Wolf Awareness. “It also kills countless other animals unintentionally, including golden eagles, lynx, ravens, grizzly bears and companion dogs, to name a few. Getting rid of this indiscriminate poison gets Canada one step closer to meeting its biodiversity targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.”  

“There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that lethal removal of large carnivores, including through poisoning, is not an effective way to reduce predation on livestock,” said Sadie Parr, organizer of WeHowl. “There are more effective ways to prevent conflicts, which are also more ethical and environmentally responsible. Many Canadians are already using such methods with success.” 

“Canada’s use of strychnine to kill wildlife is an issue that attracted the attention of hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens in Canada and beyond. We are thrilled that Health Canada has reversed their previous decision, and finally canceled all uses of strychnine” said Sheryl Fink, director of Canadian wildlife issues with IFAW.  

“I want to thank the Minister of Health and the folks at the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for banning the use of strychnine in Canada,” said Liz White, director of Animal Alliance of Canada. “No longer will this predacide be spread on the landscape indiscriminately killing wolves, coyotes and many other wild animals.” 

“We are thrilled with Health Canada’s decision to ban this deplorable poison, which has no place in wildlife management,” said Kelly Butler, wildlife campaign manager at Humane Society International/Canada. “This ban will spare so many animals from horrific, prolonged and needless deaths and we commend the government for taking this step towards improving welfare outcomes for wildlife and removing poisons from Canada’s ecosystems.” 

While the animal protection and environmental groups are relieved following PMRA’s decision to end the use of strychnine by September, it remains urgent for the PMRA to also ban Compound 1080, another poison also used to kill wolves and coyotes. It causes vomiting, convulsions, intense pain and hallucinations to animals who ingest it, and is unacceptably cruel. 

Similar to strychnine, the effects of Compound 1080 can last hours or even days before an animal dies from cardiac failure or respiratory arrest. 

According to a national Environics poll commissioned by Wolf Awareness, Animal Alliance and Animal Justice, 69% of Canadians say that the risks posed by strychnine and Compound 1080 used in Canadian wildlife management programs are unacceptable. 

-30- 

Media Contacts: 

 

Sadie Parr 

Wolf researcher/advocate and Organizer of WeHowl 

sadieparrwolfpact@gmail.com 

250-272-4695 

 

Hannah Barron 

Conservation Director, Wolf Awareness 

hannah@wolfawareness.org 

647-567-8337 

 

Kaitlyn Mitchell 

Director of Legal Advocacy, Animal Justice 

kmitchell@animaljustice.ca 

647-764-8702 

 

Sheryl Fink 

Director, Canadian Wildlife Campaigns. IFAW Canada 

sifnk@ifaw.org 

519-830-0046 

 

Kelly Butler 

Wildlife Campaign Manager, Humane Society International/Canada 

kbutler@hsi.org 

514 914-7607 

Animal organizations unite to see Max Mara go fur-free

Humane Society International / United Kingdom

Mink on a fur farm
Jo-Anne McArthur/Andrew-Skowron/We Animals Media

LONDON—Ahead of Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, the largest ever global anti-fur consumer campaign has been launched to urge fashion house Max Mara to go fur-free. The campaign is headed by animal charities Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Fur Free Alliance comprising organizations in more than 35 countries. Campaigners are asking their millions of supporters and compassionate citizens from the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Korea, the European Union and the United States to target Max Mara’s phone lines, email and social media urging the design house to drop fur because it is cruel, out-dated and has no place in a modern society.    

Max Mara, which has 2,500+ stores in 105 countries―of which 39 are in the United States― is one of the last major fur users and its current range includes items made of fox, raccoon dog and mink fur. Max Mara fur products include fox fur cuffs, a mink trimmed hood, a fox fur trimmed hood, mink mittens and a raccoon dog fur charm, and product labels show the company uses mink fur from China plus fox and raccoon dog fur from Finland. 

Max Mara’s use of fur is increasingly out of mode considering that most of the world’s major fashion-houses have already gone fur-free, including Dolce & Gabbana, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Prada, Gucci, Versace, Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga and Jimmy Choo. Many other designers and retailers have long-standing policies against using fur, including Hugo Boss, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood.  

PJ Smith, director of fashion policy at Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States, said: “Max Mara is one of the last global fashion brands that continues to support the vile fur trade, despite clear evidence that the fur industry is cruel, bad for the environment and a risk to public health. By doing so, Max Mara is increasingly isolated in a world where the vast majority of consumers find fur obscene. We hope that Max Mara stops being an apologist for the fur trade and instead decides to strike a pose for compassionate fashion by going fur-free.”

Mink, fox and raccoon dogs―all species used by Max Mara―are bred to die on fur factory farms where they spend their entire lives in cramped, barren cages, deprived of the ability to engage in natural behaviors, only to be crudely gassed or anally electrocuted and then skinned.  

Fur production is also environmentally devastating and a risk to public health. Peer-reviewed research by carbon footprint experts Foodsteps and commissioned by HSI shows that, when compared to other materials, per kilogram fur has the highest greenhouse gas emissions, with the carbon footprint of 1kg of mink fur 31 times higher than that of cotton and 25 times higher than polyester. Fur factory farms are also breeding grounds for zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and avian influenza, with hundreds of confirmed outbreaks on fur farms across Europe and North America in the last several years. All this while quality, animal-friendly alternative fabrics, such as KOBA® Fur Free Fur which incorporates plant based and recycled ingredients, are readily available and sold by Max Mara’s competitors.  

The most recent and largest ever undercover investigation of fur farms was conducted in six EU countries―including Finland, the country from which Max Mara sources its fox and raccoon dog fur. During summer and autumn 2023, investigators made more than 100 visits to fur farms resulting in shocking photo and video evidence. Mink, foxes and raccoon dogs were shown in horrifying conditions in which incidences of cannibalism were documented. Animals on the farms were also shown injured, diseased, with some either dead or dying. Some had missing limbs, tails or ears and/or had serious eye infections, wounds infested with maggots and disturbing instances of self-mutilation. 

Max Mara’s headquarters can be contacted about their use of fur via HSI’s action page at hsi.org/furfreemaxmara as well as via Max Mara’s social media channels: X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Fur facts:

Tens of millions of animals suffer and die each year in the global fur trade. The majority of the animals killed for fur are reared in barren battery cages on fur farms.   

Mink on more than 480 fur farms across 13 countries have been found infected with COVID-19, and fur farms in Spain and Finland have had outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). The potential for zoonotic disease spread on fur farms has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization and leading virologists have recently warned governments to “consider the mounting evidence suggesting fur farming be eliminated in the interest of pandemic preparedness.” 

Fur farming has been banned in 20 European countries including the 15 Member States of Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Slovakia and Slovenia and five other European nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Norway, United Kingdom, North Macedonia and Serbia. Additionally, Switzerland and Germany have strict welfare regulations which have effectively ended fur farming.   

In the United States, there are fur sales bans in the state of California and in the following 14 towns or cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley and West Hollywood in California; Lexington, Cambridge, Plymouth, Brookline, Weston and Wellesley in Massachusetts; the borough of Etna in Pennsylvania, and the cities of Ann Arbor in Michigan; Boulder, Colorado; Hallandale Beach, Florida. Israel became the first country to ban fur sales in 2021. 

Download video/photos of Finnish fur farms here

Media contact:  Wendy Higgins, director of international media: whiggins@hsi.org

Humane Society International and Full Technical Assistance Coordination address rising market demand for hen welfare in egg production

Humane Society International / Brazil

HSI

SÃO PAULO—Last week, producers raising hens for their eggs gathered in the countryside of São Paulo state, the largest egg-producing state in Brazil, to boost their knowledge of the scientific foundation behind cage-free housing systems. The workshop, which was hosted by global animal protection charity Humane Society International and rural extension state entity Full Technical Assistance Coordination, empowered egg producers attending the event to make their first steps in meeting the ever-growing consumer and market demand for cage-free eggs.

High-level panelists, featuring experts from Hendrix Genetics, Produtor do Bem, VR Assessoria Avícola and HSI in Brazil spearheaded the workshop. The event covered hen behavior and welfare, nutrition, biosecurity, animal health and farm management in cage-free egg production systems, demonstrating that producers have a variety of resources available to successfully transition to cage-free systems.

The market for cage-free eggs in Brazil is rapidly growing, accelerating the shift towards kinder, cage-free systems for raising hens and harvesting their eggs. Major retailers such as Carrefour and GPA, manufacturers such as Unilever and Bimbo, restaurant groups such as Arcos Dorados and Brazilian Fast-Food Corporation, hotel operators such as Accor and Atlantica Hotels, and many other sectors from food service to pet food manufacturing have pledged publicly to source exclusively cage-free eggs by 2028. Where the market goes, the production follows: the volume required from the over 170 large-scale buyers with these commitments will require a significant sector shift to cage-free systems to meet this demand. As seen in other countries, the corporate demand will change the landscape of Brazilian egg production.

Tatiane Carmo, agriculture and livestock assistant at CATI, stated: “As CATI technicians, we believe that raising cage-free laying hens is a global trend and that the consumer market demands products that consider the welfare of the animals, in addition to the quality and safety of the food. We found that many producers want to transition from the conventional system to cage-free systems, and others who have already adopted this system are interested in gaining more knowledge to improve their production and potentially obtain certification on animal welfare.”

Cage-free systems typically offer hens higher levels of welfare by allowing more opportunities for expression of natural behavior such as ground scratching, pecking, dustbathing, nesting, perching and socializing, all of which are not possible in conventional battery cage systems. Hens are sentient, intelligent and sociable animals. Scientific studies have shown that they have a sense of time, can count, learn from their flock mates and anticipate the future, which in turn affects their decision-making. They experience positive emotional states and enjoy social activities such as dustbathing.

To Rodrigo Cobrelo, consultant at poultry systems consultancy VR Assessoria Avícola, it is essential to ensure that the hen’s welfare is respected during their whole lives. “The focus should be on the hen, the egg is a consequence,” he said.

Diogo Ito, laying hen specialist at Hendrix Genetics, global breeding, genetics and technology company, said: “Cage-free systems meet a demand from consumers who seek a balance between animal welfare and do not compromise on the quality of the eggs on their table. To this end, it is important for the egg producer to follow certain recommendations that aim to protect hens from health problems, and at the same time meet its nutritional requirements, so that hens can remain healthy and produce eggs with high nutritional quality.”

José Ciocca, executive director at certification authority Produtor do Bem, stated: “Certifications provide applicable technical guidance and guidelines, and allow producers to demonstrate that their products meet specific standards. Furthermore, it helps companies implement their own animal welfare commitments, mitigates reputational risks in the supply chain and brings added and profitable value to the supply chain.”

Anna Souza, policy and program manager in farm animal welfare and protection at HSI in Brazil, said: “Producers now have a myriad of resources at their fingertips, empowering many to successfully transition to cage-free systems. There is no question that the future of egg production is cage-free, and HSI welcomes Brazil to join the global shift.”

ENDS

Media contact: Anna Cristina Souza, asouza@hsi.org

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