GAIA captures new footage exposing the cruel fur industry

73% of Belgians support a ban on fur trade

February 17, 2025

Brussels, February 18, 2025 – While fur farming is banned across Belgium, the sale of fur remains legal. A new opinion poll commissioned by GAIA reveals that three out of four Belgians believe policymakers should prohibit fur sales in the country. Today, GAIA unveils shocking footage exposing the brutal reality of the suffering endured by fur-bearing animals and the horrific killing methods used in the industry.

GAIA’s footage reveals the horror of fur farms

GAIA has obtained new footage filmed undercover in January 2025 in Poland, one of Europe’s largest fur producers.

The footage exposes the harsh everyday reality in fur farms: hundreds of mink and raccoon dogs are crammed into small metal cages. Their excrement piles up beneath the cages, seeping directly into the ground. Because the animals are unable to stand on a solid surface, their paws become severely injured. Raccoon dogs are fed a greasy mash in abundance. As a result, they develop extreme obesity: the thicker their fur, the higher its market value.

The conditions in fur farms prevent any form of natural behaviour, such as exploring, hunting, or running. This leads to severe behavioural disorders, including self-mutilation, cannibalism, and stereotypic behaviours. The animals never leave their cages—except when they are brutally killed after six to seven months. The footage also reveals the particularly cruel killing methods: raccoon dogs are violently dragged from their cages and then anally electrocuted, in full view of the other animals.

A declining industry, but still present

Over the past decade, fur production in Europe has declined by 75%—from 44 million animals killed in 2013 to seven million in 2023, including 6.4 million mink, 390,000 foxes, and 50,000 raccoon dogs.

Even in China, one of the world’s largest fur producers, the decline is evident: production in 2023 dropped by more than half compared to the previous year.

Fifteen EU countries, including Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, have banned fur farming. In Belgium, the practice was gradually phased out. Wallonia was the first region to prohibit fur farming in 2015, followed by Brussels in 2017. In 2018, Flanders—the only region where fur farms were still active—introduced a decree to fully ban the sector by the end of 2023. This nationwide ban now spares 150,000 mink annually from the cruelties seen in GAIA’s footage.

Although fur farming is no longer allowed in Belgium, fur clothing and accessories are still available in luxury brands and specialised stores. This must stop.

LVMH continues despite massive public opposition

While many fashion brands—including Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Gucci, and more recently Max Mara—have turned their backs on fur, some luxury brands, such as the LVMH group (Louis Vuitton, Dior, ...), continue to use it, despite overwhelming public opposition to fur.

Nearly 3 out of 4 Belgians want the trade banned

A new opinion poll by Dedicated (January 2025), commissioned by GAIA, reveals that 76% of Belgians have a negative perception of brands that still sell fur, and 73% want the country to ban its sale altogether.

A serious health risk

Fur farms also pose a public health risk. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of mink farms were affected by the coronavirus, with animals transmitting new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to humans.

Recent developments show that this risk has not disappeared: in October 2024, a new coronavirus outbreak was detected at a fur farm in Italy.

GAIA calls for a ban on fur sales in Belgium

Today, GAIA is launching a campaign urging regional governments, which have the authority to act, to ban fur sales. The campaign also encourages citizens to boycott brands that continue to sell fur.

"Belgium must no longer be complicit in this industry. We have banned its production—now it is time to ban its sale as well."
– Ann De Greef, CEO GAIA