Switzerland becomes the first country to ban the import and sale of cruelly produced fur

Switzerland's parliament has done what no country has done before. The Council of States voted nearly unanimously to write a ban on importing and selling fur produced through animal cruelty into the federal Animal Welfare Act, following the National Council's approval last year. Switzerland imports about 350 tonnes of fur products a year - an estimated 1.5 million animals. The import ban takes effect in July 2029 and the sales ban in July 2030, with retailers required to prove their products meet welfare standards. Surveys cited by animal-welfare groups found 94% of Swiss voters back an import ban. Israel largely banned fur sales for fashion in 2021; Switzerland is the first to ban both import and sale.