Health and Well-being of Fur Animals
Through its strict certification system, Saga Furs actively contributes to the advancement of animal welfare on fur farms. WelFur certification is the most important tool for measuring animal welfare, but the Saga Certification system also includes tools for assessment.
The international fashion industry is highly interested in the conditions under which fur animals are bred. To support its partners, Saga Furs must provide clear guidance on these matters. However, within the value chain, animal welfare is ultimately the responsibility of individual fur farm entrepreneurs who operate at its starting point.
Saga Certification is the most important animal welfare management system connected to animal welfare in Finland. Launched in 2005, it is a comprehensive quality management system that places strong emphasis on animal health and welfare. Since 2017, the Saga Certification has included the WelFur protocol, a science-based animal welfare assessment. As of 2021, WelFur is part of Furmark, the global certification system that guarantees animal welfare. Furmark includes several local certification programs for different natural fur types. Saga Furs is developing Furmark, and we ensure that the pelts that we sell on behalf of our farm customers are certified. By offering certified pelt lots in auctions, Saga Furs makes a commitment to ethical and sustainable fur production.
To promote animal welfare and safety, Saga Furs expects all fur farms to comply with the Council of Europe’s recommendation on fur farming or equivalent national or regional regulations or standards. The company reserves the right to abstain from selling or grading pelts that do not meet legal or ethical standards, or that come from areas without such regulations.
This also applies to situations where a fur farm or its owners support fur farming in countries or regions lacking formal standards. Saga Furs monitors compliance, and if pelts in its sales or grading selections do not meet the company’s criteria, they are removed from the auction and returned to the owner.
Well-being and Health: A Key Part of Quality
Animal health and welfare are an absolute prerequisite for high-quality animal breeding. On certified fur farms, welfare is supported through both immediate and preventive measures. These include:
- Control of infectious diseases
- Compliance with FFBA vaccination recommendations
- Daily monitoring and documentation of animal health
- Euthanizing animals within the farm location
Read more:
Certification
WelFur
Traceability
Fur farmer Isosaari: “Quality certification and WelFur are vital to the business”