Invaders posed a risk of spreading infectious diseases on several fur farms in July

FIFUR member entrepreneurs have reported several intrusions and “reconnaissance visits” to farms and gates in recent weeks. Some of the visits have been saved on surveillance cameras. It is known that there has been secret filming on at least five farms and images have been provided for use by domestic and foreign media. It is likely that secret filmings have been made on several farms.

“Complete disregard is shown by the way intruders enter animal facilities during a corona pandemic. Intruders circulating on different farms have posed a risk of the coronavirus spreading to animals and indirectly to farm workers. In addition to corona, other animal diseases can spread when they move from one farm to another”, say Jussi Peura, FIFUR's research director, and veterinarian Johanna Korpela.

In the Netherlands, Denmark and Spain, in some mink farms, the coronavirus has been transmitted from animal keepers to animals and a few re-infections have been reported in April-July. As a precautionary measure, mass cullings on mink farms have been ordered in the Netherlands and also in Denmark, which have also been reported.

FIFUR emphasizes that Finnish fur farms have not been infected with coronavirus, the hygiene regulations are strict and are complied with.

“In the Covid-19 case, FIFUR has been in close contact with the authorities and for example the Zoonosis Research Unit of the University of Helsinki. The Finnish Food Authority has instructed Finnish fur farms e.g. so that only the necessary traffic and employees visit the farms, and no extra visits,” says veterinarian Johanna Korpela.

As before, FIFUR reminds that individual secret filmings tell nothing about the level of animal care and welfare.

There can be as many as tens of thousands of production animals on the farm and, despite careful care, individual animals can be injured or ill between rounds of inspection and feeding. If you think of a city of 10,000 inhabitants, for example, some inhabitants are likely to have, for example, a sudden outbreak of an eye infection or wound.

FIFUR sees intrusions and secret filmings as a widely organized campaign aimed at creating a false image of the fur industry and making it more difficult to do legal business.

Responsible fur farmers have reported these criminal intrusions to the police.

For more information:

Johanna Korpela, Veterinarian, Finnish Fur Breeders' Association FIFUR, +358 50 464 8834

Jussi Peura, Research Director, Finnish Fur Breeders' Association FIFUR, +358 400 637 255

Olli-Pekka Nissinen, Communications Director, Finnish Fur Breeders' Association FIFUR, +358 50 306 2374