A new bill has recently been introduced in the UK Parliament aiming to ban the import and sale of animal fur from various species, including foxes. This proposed legislation seeks to extend existing prohibitions on the trade of fur from certain animals to a broader range of species, reflecting growing public and political support for ethical and sustainable practices in fashion.

Timeline of Fur Farming and Related Legislation in the UK and EU

about 1920: Introduction of fox farming in the UK.

1929: Introduction of mink farming in the UK.

1989: The Farm Animal Welfare Council criticized the conditions under which mink and foxes were farmed, highlighting significant welfare concerns.

2003: The Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act came into force, banning mink and fox farming across the UK.

11 December 2007: The European Union banned the import and export of cat and dog fur under Regulation (EC) No. 1523/2007 of the European Parliament and the Council.

16 September 2009: The European Union prohibited the import of all seal products through Regulation (EU) No. 1007/2009.

16 October 2024: A new bill was introduced in the UK Parliament to ban the import and sale of fur from various animals, including foxes, raccoon dogs, mink, chinchillas, and coyotes.

13 June 2025: The second reading of the proposed bill is scheduled in Parliament.

Current legislation on the fur trade

Currently, fur imports are regulated, and the import of fur from 13 specific species is prohibited unless the animals were trapped using methods that comply with internationally recognized humane trapping standards. These rules do not apply to the animals born and bred in captivity.

The 13 species:

• Badger  Taxidea taxus

• Beaver   Castor canadensis

• Bobcat   Felis rufus or Lynx rufus

• Coyote  Canis latrans

• Ermine  Mustela erminea

• Fisher    Martes pennanti

• Lynx       Lynx canadensis

• Marten  Martes americana

• Musk rat        Ondatra zibethecus

• Raccoon        Procyon lotor

• Otter     Lutra canadensis or Lontra canadensis

• Sable     Martes zibellina

• Wolf      Canis lupus

In the UK and EU, animals kept for fur production, as well as those trapped and slaughtered, must be treated humanely. Foxes, like mink, ferrets, and chinchillas, are subject to special welfare recommendations.

The export and import of fox species within the EU require appropriate permits and documentation to verify legality, thus reducing the risk of unethical sourcing. Following Brexit, the UK retains its own wildlife trade regulations, which largely align with EU laws but are now managed separately under the UK’s version of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is listed in Appendix III of CITES, meaning its trade is regulated by national laws but requires international cooperation to prevent unsustainable or illegal exploitation. The trade of foxes is permitted only upon presentation of the appropriate permits or certificates.

What about welfare?

But our issue is not only about the regulations but also about welfare and well-being of species as foxes. It is essential to consider both the legal protections (such as CITES and national regulations) and the ethical concerns related to how animals are treated in various industries. The bill introduced by Labour MP Ruth Jones aims to ban the importation of fur in UK. This proposal has been applauded by many organisations that are opposed to the fur trade and denounce the living conditions of species on fur farms.

The Humane Society International (United Kingdom) declared “If passed into law, the ban would end the UK’s complicity in the cruelty of the global fur trade”. The association describes the fur trade as millions of animals suffering "The pain and distress inflicted on animals on fur farms is acute: animals including foxes and mink are kept their entire lives in small, barren cages, unable to exhibit normal patterns of behaviour, before being killed by gassing or anal electrocution".

Four paws expresses that the association “is fundamentally opposed to the killing of animals for their fur. The breeding of fur animals as well as trapping them in the wild to produce fashion or luxury items is cruel, unethical and unnecessary”.

Consequences

This bill could also have consequences for other people that work with fur but not in fashion. Some industries might not be directly involved in fashion but still rely on fur as a material. These industries could include those that use fur for non-fashion-related products, such as fur used in art or scientific research.

Since this could impact the work of taxidermist, I contacted Second Life Taxidermy about the bill introduction. She is a taxidermist that promotes ethical taxidermy.

Second Life Taxidermy opinion

I asked her what impact this change in legislation might have on her work: “Truthfully, I'm not certain how this will affect us as taxidermists, moving forward.  It truly depends on how extreme the measures are taken. The article [about the Humane society international article] itself is pushing the belief that all fur is murder when this is simply not the case.”

She adds: “If the bill were strictly in relation to fur farms and the clothing industry and not fur use as a whole, we would not be affected, as things currently stand, fur farms have been phasing out for a number of years and are progressively losing their businesses and closing down. […] It is important to note that not all fur is sourced from animals who are killed for fur, many are memorials for pet owners, many are intended for education use and teaching, many are of natural passing, and many are byproducts of ethical farming and pest control which has nothing to do with fashion, and little to do with fur farming.”

I also enquired at Second Life Taxidermy whether it will become challenging to obtain furs in the future, she responded that it is important to know that most taxidermists rely on local stocks. She adds “that is not to say that I don't work on imported animals, but it is neither profitable, nor would I support what I consider to be cruelty or unethical production, importation following Brexit has become very difficult, to the point that it has deterred most”.

Moreover, the fur uses by taxidermist does require a more complicated preparation than the one used in fashion and cannot be achieved on a factory scale as fashion.

Second Life Taxidermy hopes that taxidermists and crafters will not be categorised and punished alongside the fashion trade. Second Life Taxidermy explains “The majority of us are animal lovers who just wish to create and preserve beauty after death” and “I feel that banning fur use as a whole is extreme and unfair to those who do mean well and respect a good ethical standard of practice”.

She concludes by saying that she hopes the bill will be balanced: “animals should be protected from unfair treatment, and taxidermists should be able to continue their already heavily regulated craft”.

The proposed bill to ban the importation and sale of fur in the UK represents a significant step toward animal welfare and ethical trade practices. While it has strong support from animal rights groups, it could impact industries like taxidermy that rely on fur for non-fashion purposes. The debate underscores the need for laws that consider both animal welfare and affected industries.

In my next article, next week, we will look at the history of man's use of foxes for their fur.