PROCEEDINGS OF THE LATVIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Section B, Vol. 71 (2017), No. 1/2 (706/707), pp. 78–80. DOI: 10.1515/prolas-2017-0013 Science life: Discussion THE ETHICS OF KEEPING FUR ANIMALS, THE ESTONIAN CONTEXT David Arney and Peep Piirsalu Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 46, Tartu, ESTONIA The discussion of the ethics of fur farming is currently important in Estonia, where the Estonian Parliament is due to make a judgement on the legality of farming animals for fur in the state. Al- though there is significant opposition among the local general population, and discussion in the popular and social media, there is little evidence of a coherent ethical reason why fur animals should not be farmed while we continue to permit the farming of other livestock animals. Ethical viewpoints of the rights and welfare of animals are presented here and these are contextualised with regard to fur farming and fur farming in Estonia in particular. Key words: ethics, fur farming, mink, chinchilla, blue fox. INTRODUCTION as human beings, the right not to be killed, the right not to be imprisoned. A detailed discussion of the concepts of ani- It first should be understood that there is no consensus in mal rights by the leading philosopher of this view (Regan, animal welfare science on the ethics or desirability of keep- 2001) and a refutation (Scroton, 2000) can be compared for ing of fur animals. The two sides of the argument for farm- those interested. At the more extreme end, this view pro- ing mink have been discussed by Vinke (2001) and Nimon hibits the use of animals for any purpose involving restrict- and Broom (1999), and foxes by Nimon and Broom (2001). ing their liberty and slaughtering them. And this need not Neither of course is there any consensus on the ethics of concern us; anyone with this view will be opposed to fur keeping of any groups of animals by humans. We shall con- farming as well as opposed to all kinds of farming, dairy sider below the current ethical ideologies underpinning the farming, pig farming and the use of animals for entertain- morality of the methods and practices of keeping of all pro- ment and medical purposes or other scientific experiments. duction animals, and highlight the keeping of fur animals At the other end of the range, the animal rights ethic may into these contexts. We have chosen to discuss the ethical mean that it is acceptable to keep animals as long as they views that are most relevant to this subject. It is important are treated with respect, and that they should not be harmed not to regard the keeping of fur animal in isolation from the unnecessarily. So the question, at this milder end, is: can fur keeping of other animals, especially in regard to the accep- animals be kept in a way that respects them as individuals, tance that fur animals are classified as farm animals, which which respects them above their value as a source of a pelt? is recognised in law both in the European Union (Anony- We would say that this entirely depends on the attitude of mous, 1998) and the USA (Anonymous, 2006). Therefore, the farmer, not on the livestock species. It becomes very for each of the ethical positions discussed, the keeping of difficult to envisage that it is so on farms where there are fur animals will be compared with the current practices of large numbers of animals, both fur farms and other live- keeping farm animals in Estonia. The animals kept for fur stock farms. Stockmen do not have time nor the ability to in Estonia currently, and which are considered here, are: the recognise individual animals in large groups, much less European mink (Mustela vison), the chinchilla (Chinchilla establish a relationship with them. However, on smaller chinchilla), the silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) which is regarded farms of all types there is the potential for a relationship of as a domesticated form of the red fox, and the blue, or arc- respect between the stock-keeper and animals. On visits to tic, fox (Vulpes lagopus). fur farms in Estonia there was anecdotal evidence for this respect; one of the chinchilla farmers would absent herself from the slaughtering of animals as she found it upsetting. ANIMAL RIGHTS And it would not be upsetting if she only considered the The position of the ethics of animal rights is that animal animals as pelts. Farmers also knew of individual animals lives have a value above the value of their products. There and their problems and personalities, and spoke to them. is a range of views within this paradigm, and at the extreme This is all evidence of a respect and value of the animals in end it is believed that animals should have the same rights their care beyond that of simply their value as pelts. In con- 78 Proc. Latvian Acad. Sci., Section B, Vol. 71 (2017), No. 1/2. clusion then, from an animal rights point of view, we can ethic, so does the breeding of pigs, cows, sheep and chick- see no reason why the farming of animals for fur is any ens. The argument could be made, and indeed is made, that more offensive than the farming of other livestock animals. keeping animals for farming purposes ensures the success of these species; there are far more chickens alive today than there would be if the jungle fowl had ever been UTILITARIANISM farmed. Indeed, one of the fur animals under discussion, the chinchilla, is endangered in its native range, in the uplands In this view, which is probably the predominant view of western South America. The other argument related to amongst animal welfare scientists, the benefits of keeping this view is that fur farming is wrong because of the risk of animals should be balanced against the adverse effects on escaping animals interbreeding with or replacing native the wellbeing of those animals. Regan (2001) has provided populations of animals, particularly the European mink. As a critique of utilitarianism. In regard to the concept of utili- far as American mink displacing European mink and the ot- tarianism and fur farming it is sometimes said, to us by stu- ter are concerned, the horse has already bolted, and it is too dents and laymen, and by thinkers in the field (Linzey, late. In any case, the populations of species in the Estonian 2009), that fur farming is unnecessary as the benefits are not countryside are not static. The racoon dog and the wild boar relevant; we do not need fur to survive. But this argument is are also relatively recent introductions to the fauna of our really specious. Neither do we need eggs, milk, pork, or in- landscape. We share a land border with other countries, and deed leather or wool to survive. We are sure that a case the movement of animals across this border is more likely could be made for the economic benefits of fur farming to to be a threat to our native populations. It should also be outweigh the suffering of the animals, as they could for noted that escape of other conventional and exotic livestock broiler chicken and dairy farming. In our view, the point of from farms could have impact on wild populations (domes- this view would be to consider how to improve the wellbe- tic pigs carrying disease and hybridity to wild boar for ex- ing of fur animals, to reduce their suffering as much as pos- ample). In our view, if the animals are kept secure from es- sible, while still enjoying the benefits of their production. In cape, as should all farm livestock, there should be no further this regard, from observation of some Estonian fur farms, threat from their continued production. efforts have been made to improve the quality of their lives: nesting boxes provided for mink are used extensively, as were the shelter boards provided for the foxes and the en- TELOS richment items (branches for gnawing) in chinchilla and fox cages. From observations of farmed foxes, they did show This is the view that animals should be allowed to behave in abnormal behaviour, turning around and around, vocalising the ways that they have evolved to behave, and that if they and leaping at the cage bars, but as this was at a time when are not allowed to behave in these ways they are frustrated they were preparing to be fed, this stressful behaviour at and can suffer as a consequence of this frustrated motiva- that time may well have been expected. It should be under- tion. Pigs should be kept in such a way that they are al- stood that other farm animals, like cows, pigs, and chickens, lowed to be pig-like and do piggy things. It is clear that all often show abnormal behaviour, particularly in conven- farmed chinchilla are not able to climb and jump, farmed tional husbandry systems, and particularly at feeding time. mink are not able to swim and chase fish and farmed foxes Farmers should be encouraged to consider ways in which to are not able to run and chase prey. But it is also equally further improve their wellbeing, such as possibilities for the clear that chickens in a broiler house, pigs on a slatted floor group housing of chinchillas and access to water for mink. and dairy cows housed indoors are likewise unable to per- Some ideas for improvements are included in the Welfur form many of their natural behaviours; behaviours that we protocols for foxes (Anonymous, 2014) and for mink know they are motivated to perform.