British Columbia’s intensive fur operations have received $6.5 million over six years in government supports, despite COVID-19 outbreaks on three BC mink farms, and more than 80 percent of the public opposing killing animals for their fur.
Despite warnings and calls from The Fur-Bearers, the BC SPCA, numerous infectious disease specialists, David Suzuki, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs and others, the government has continued to allow these operations to continue.
The Fur-Bearers are joining our friends at the BC SPCA in calling on the government to immediately stop funding fur farms through subsidies – particularly during the concurrent pandemic, opioid crisis, and biodiversity crisis that all desperately need assistance and impact millions of taxpayers in BC.
Residents of British Columbia are encouraged to contact their MLA and Minister of Agriculture Lana Popham (AGR.Minister@gov.bc.ca or by phone at 250-387-1023) and politely voice their opposition to BC’s fur farming industry. You can find your BC MLA by clicking here.
Background Information
- British Columbia currently has 11 fur farms in operation. 10 mink farms, 1 chinchilla farm. All mink farms are located in the Fraser Valley.
- Most recent Statistics Canada data (2018) shows 281,600 mink were bred in BC that year.
- A 2020 poll conducted by BC public opinion firm Research Co., found that 85% of the population of BC are opposed to killing animals for their fur.
- 7,738 Canadians signed Government of Canada E-petition e-3096 that calls for nationwide ban on fur farming for all species of animals.
- The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation For Animal Health (OIE), and the Word Health Organization (WHO) published a risk assessment for fur farms: SARS-CoV-2 in animals used for fur farming: GLEWS+ risk assessment. The risk assessment identified Canada has having a “very likely” likelihood of introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 within fur farms, and a “likely” likelihood of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from fur farms to susceptible wildlife populations.
