Estonia will become the first Baltic country to ban fur farming.

55 out of 101 members of The Riigikogu (Estonia’s parliament) voted in favor of a bill to prohibit the practice.

Estonia bans fur farming

Moreover, the legislation will come into effect in January 2026. It follows a slew of European countries ditching fur in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a 2020 survey, 75 percent of people living in Estonia oppose killing animals such as minks for fur.

The country had already begun phasing out the controversial practice. In 2015, Estonia had 41 mink farms producing a staggering 150,000 mink skins.

However, on June 3 2020, Estonia said it had not a single mink farm active and running.

‘A business on borrowed time’

Moreover, animal welfare charity Humane Society International / UK welcomed the bill.

Claire Bass is the organization’s Executive Director. She said: “We celebrate with Estonia today, as it becomes the first Baltic country to ban cruel fur farming.

“And, we congratulate local animal welfare groups on their years of campaigning to get the ban done.

“This victory provides further affirmation that caging, electrocuting and gassing animals just to make bobble hats is a business that is on borrowed time.

“We hope that politicians in nearby Finland and Poland are inspired not to get left behind as Europe turns its back on the cruel and unnecessary fur trade.

“In recent years the UK has imported several hundred thousand pounds worth of fur from Estonia, making us complicit in the caged cruelty.

“But, with the UK government this week launching a Call for Evidence to consider a UK fur import and sales ban… We have a great opportunity to stop bankrolling fur factory farming overseas.”