Animal Welfare Wins as Fur Farming Comes to an End

Denmark will end mink farming by August 2029, reversing plans to seek an exemption from an EU-wide ban and marking a significant step forward for animal welfare.

“A business should not continue just because it has existed for a long time. It should also make sense for society, for the economy and for the animals,” said Danish Nature Minister Christian Rabjerg Madsen, explaining the government’s decision to prioritise animal welfare.

Once the world’s largest producer of mink fur, Denmark will phase out its remaining seven mink farms over a two-year transition period after the EU ban takes effect on 7 August 2027. The decision follows the EU’s 2025 classification of mink as an invasive species, which prohibits keeping them unless special exemptions are granted. Denmark initially intended to seek such an exemption but has now abandoned the plan. The country’s mink industry has already contracted significantly, with approximately 15,000 animals remaining. During the Covid-19 pandemic, around 15 million mink were culled, accelerating the industry’s decline. The decision brings Denmark closer to other European countries that have already prohibited fur farming, reflecting a broader shift towards stronger animal welfare protections.