As the first country in Europe, Switzerland imposes import ban on cruelly produced fur
Caged animal. Credits: Four Paws As the first European country, Switzerland recently decided to adopt a ban on the import of fur and fur products produced through animal cruelty, which is to come into force as early as 1st July 2025. “For Four Paws, any kind of fur production involves animal cruelty. We believe that the import ban must be comprehensive. The fact that Switzerland will prohibit the import of fur produced under cruel conditions is a groundbreaking step forward nevertheless,” comments Thomas Pietsch, head of wild animals in textiles at Four Paws in a press release. Ban does not include cruel traps Even though Switzerland is setting an international example, animal rights organisations are disappointed by the narrow wording of the regulation. For example, the use of cruel traps that kill instantly (conibear traps) is not considered cruel to animals, and the fur of animals killed in this way is therefore not covered by the import ban. “The term - cruel to animals - is not interpreted consistently. The ban does not include particularly cruel traps, which are designed to kill instantly but often fail, leaving the trapped animals to die in agony for days. Therefore the regulation does not go far enough,” adds Pietsch. The import ban was preceded by a referendum initiated by Swiss animal rights activists. This in turn was preceded by a petition from the Swiss population, which also included a ban on foie gras. In 2023, more than 100,000 signatures were collected for this ban, and more than 116,000 for a fur ban, meeting the required 100,000 signature threshold for a national vote.
As the first European country, Switzerland recently decided to adopt a ban on the import of fur and fur products produced through animal cruelty, which is to come into force as early as 1st July 2025.
“For Four Paws, any kind of fur production involves animal cruelty. We believe that the import ban must be comprehensive. The fact that Switzerland will prohibit the import of fur produced under cruel conditions is a groundbreaking step forward nevertheless,” comments Thomas Pietsch, head of wild animals in textiles at Four Paws in a press release.
Ban does not include cruel traps
Even though Switzerland is setting an international example, animal rights organisations are disappointed by the narrow wording of the regulation. For example, the use of cruel traps that kill instantly (conibear traps) is not considered cruel to animals, and the fur of animals killed in this way is therefore not covered by the import ban.
“The term - cruel to animals - is not interpreted consistently. The ban does not include particularly cruel traps, which are designed to kill instantly but often fail, leaving the trapped animals to die in agony for days. Therefore the regulation does not go far enough,” adds Pietsch.
The import ban was preceded by a referendum initiated by Swiss animal rights activists. This in turn was preceded by a petition from the Swiss population, which also included a ban on foie gras. In 2023, more than 100,000 signatures were collected for this ban, and more than 116,000 for a fur ban, meeting the required 100,000 signature threshold for a national vote.
