Animal rights groups utilise ‘citizen initiatives’ to push Finnish fur ban

Animal rights campaigners are making heavy use of the new ‘citizen initiatives’ scheme to introduce a fur farm ban into Finland’s parliament. A report from the YLE news agency said this week that the ’fur farm-free Finland’ group has already collected 42,000 signatures since the citizen initiative scheme became a law on 1 March this year.

Should the organisation be able to acquire 50,000 signatures of Finns that are opposed to fur farming, parliament will have to consider the group’s legislative proposal.

Sami Säynevirta from the Animalia animal charity told YLE reporters that it was “only a matter of time” until the Scandinavian country bans fur farming altogether. He went on to add, “There are already countries in Europe where fur farming is banned, or where it is severely restricted. It cannot be said in any way that these animals are able to enjoy the kind of life they deserve on these farms.”

The six-month cutoff date for the campaign will be up in November, although officials from supporting group Finnish Nature League said that it has already collected a “pleasing” number of signatures.

In addition to Animalia and the Finnish Nature League, other groups involved in the effort include the Finnish Federation for Animal Welfare Associations and Oikkeutta eläimille (rights for animals).