‘Historic’: Israel Becomes World’s First Country To Ban Fur Sales

Israel will become the world’s first country to ban the sale of fur.

The new legislation comes into effect in six months. However, fur will still be permitted for ‘scientific research, education or instruction, and for religious purposes or tradition’.

Moreover, non-profit Humane Society International (HSI) says it hopes the ban ‘inspires the British government to follow its lead’. This shortly follows the UK’s decision to launch a Call For Evidence to consider a fur sales ban.

Israel bans fur sales

Claire Bass is the executive director of HSI UK. In a statement sent to PBN, she said: “This is a truly historic day for animal protection, with Israel becoming the first country in the world to ban the sale of fur fashion. 

“Even with the exemption for traditional dress, without which this ban was unlikely to have succeeded, Israel’s fur ban will save the lives of millions of animals suffering on fur farms or languishing in cruel traps around the world, and it sends a clear message that fur is unethical, unnecessary and outdated. 

“We now call on the British government to follow Israel’s compassionate lead and implement a UK fur import and sales ban once DEFRA’s Call for Evidence is completed. 

“For as long as the UK remains open for business to sell fur that we deemed too cruel to farm here two decades ago… We are complicit in this cruelty.”  

‘Immoral and unnecessary’

Environmental protection minister, Gila Gamliel, passed the ban into law, and issued a statement after signing the regulations. 

It reads: “The fur industry causes the deaths of hundreds of millions of animals worldwide. And, inflicts indescribable cruelty and suffering. 

“Using the skin and fur of wildlife for the fashion industry is immoral and is certainly unnecessary. Animal fur coats cannot cover the brutal murder industry that makes them. 

“Signing these regulations will make the Israeli fashion market more environmentally friendly and far kinder to animals.”