Fur farming was banned in England and Wales in 2000, Scotland in 2002, and Northern Ireland in 2002, but fur products continue to be imported and sold in the UK, raising ongoing welfare and ethical questions.
Fur farming causes chronic welfare suffering. Mink are semi-aquatic mustelids with complex territorial and hunting behaviours that cannot be expressed in small wire cages. Foxes on fur farms are confined in spaces that prevent normal movement and social behaviour. High rates of stereotypic behaviours - pacing, repetitive head movements, self-mutilation - are documented indicators of severe psychological distress. Killing methods including gassing and electrocution have variable humaneness. The UK ban reflected evidence that no practicable fur farming system could meet the welfare needs of these species.