Wolf Fur Farms Uncovered in Canada
Government documents released by a wildlife protection charity reveal for the first time that iconic species including wolves, bobcats, and lynx are being kept on fur farms in Canada.
Uncovered government documents have revealed for the first time that wolves, bobcats, and lynx are being kept captive and commercially farmed in Canada’s controversial fur farming industry.
While it has long been known that animals including minks, foxes, and chinchillas are farmed on fur farms in the country, this is the first time that these other species have been linked to the trade.
Canada is now said to be one of the only - if not the only - country in the world that is known to actively farm wolves, bobcats, and lynx for their fur. The alarming discovery was uncovered by wildlife protection charity The Fur-Bearers, via freedom of information requests for fur farming licenses issued by government agencies.
According to government figures received in the requests, there are five fur farms operating in the province of Saskatcherwan that involve wolves, bobcats, or lynx. They vary in size, with the smallest housing three animals while the largest has 59 animals. There is also one lynx fur farm operating in the province of Alberta, which currently houses four lynx.
Lynx, pictured here, have also been discovered as one of the species being farmed for their fur in Canada.
The unprecedented discovery shines a light on the secretive fur farming sector in Canada, and has reignited a debate on banning fur farming in the country.
“Fur farming has no place in Canada,” says Aaron Hofman, Director of Advocacy and Policy at The Fur-Bearers. “While fur farming bans have been sweeping across Europe in recent years, Canadians are learning that iconic wildlife species like wolves are being commercially farmed in their own country. This archaic and inhumane practice needs to end.”
Industry data shows that there are fewer than 100 fur farms left in Canada. In 2021, British Columbia banned mink farming over the sector’s public health risks associated with COVID-19.
Fur Farming Around the World - How Does Canada Compare?
Across the European Union (EU), fur farming has become increasingly unpopular in recent years due to increased awareness around animal welfare, as well as the health and environmental risks associated with the industry. Amid falling consumer demand, Latvia recently banned fur farming and became the fifteenth EU country to do so, following the likes of Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
And in the United States, California became the first state to ban new fur sales back in 2019.
Such bans have been reflected in the fashion industry itself. Many major fashion brands including Gucci, Michael Kors, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, and Moncler have removed fur from their collections in favor of more ethical and eco-conscious materials, while the former CEO of the Fur Trade Association has denounced the animal cruelty inherent in the fur trade as “indefensible”.
However, despite this progress, around 100 million animals are still killed for their fur every year as part of the global fur trade. Animals are typically kept in cramped conditions where cannibalism and neurotic behavior is not uncommon. To harvest their fur, the animals are bludgeoned, skinned alive, electrocuted, or gassed. As well as animal welfare concerns, opponents of the trade say that the industry is detrimental to the environment, particularly with water pollution, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Take Action Against Fur
While most high-end designer labels have publicly banned fur from their collections, there are a few that still haven’t followed the compassionate trend. Join Species Unite today in calling on Max Mara to end their sale of fur - add your name to our petition here. And to learn more about the future of animal-free fur, listen to our Species Unite podcast episode with Kym Canter, the founder and creative director at House of Fluff, a New York City-based, animal free, material innovation studio and outerwear brand.
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