Bulgaria's parliament has banned fur farming for good. Raising, breeding and killing animals for fur is now illegal. MPs passed the changes to the Veterinary Medical Activity Act at second reading, unanimously and without debate.
MPs from all parliamentary groups put forward the bill. An amendment to the Animal Protection Act defines raising, breeding and killing animals for fur as cruelty to animals.
Farms that breed and kill animals only for their pelts, such as mink, fox, chinchilla and raccoon dog farms, must stop work. The ban does not cover skins from animals raised for food or from legal hunting.
The law also defines the term: fur means "skins from animals that are raised or bred to produce skins".
Anyone who raises, breeds or kills animals for fur faces a fine of €800 to €1,500. For a repeat offence, the fine is €2,000 to €6,000.
Sole traders and companies will pay a penalty of €500 to €1,500 if they break veterinary rules on identifying, registering, raising or moving animals. For raising, breeding or killing animals for fur, the penalty is €2,500 to €4,500, and €4,500 to €10,000 for a repeat offence.
Anton Kutev of "Progressive Bulgaria" said the vote ends a long process. He said Bulgarian statistics show no fur farms are working in Bulgaria now. Kutev said the law should stop farms that now operate in other European countries from moving to Bulgaria.
The explanatory notes to the bill list humane treatment of animals, protection of the environment and people's health, and following best practice in the EU as its aims. They say the law also removes the farm exemption from the ban on feeding animals kitchen waste.