@article{01KEHWXB422PYK1WMM0FHH2KAW,
  abstract     = {{This Scientific Opinion (SO) addresses a mandate from the EC regarding welfare of the following animals when farmed for their fur: (i) American mink (Neogale vison or Neovison vison), (ii) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes, also known as 'silver fox'), (iii) Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus, also known as 'blue fox'), (iv) Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, also known as 'Finnraccoon') and (v) Chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera). The request was to identify the most relevant welfare consequences (WCs) for each species and to determine whether these could be prevented or substantially mitigated in the current husbandry systems. 'Current system' refers strictly to the cage systems and cage dimensions as described in the EFSA Technical report produced under this mandate, as there was no or very limited information available on animals kept in alternative farming systems. Using information obtained from a review of literature, consultations with stakeholders and consideration by EFSA experts, the SO addresses for each species these WCs along with their underlying hazards and potential preventive or mitigating measures. In all species, Restriction of movement, Inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour, and Sensorial under- and overstimulation were selected as the most relevant WCs, sharing common hazards linked to current cage size and barrenness. Species-specific WCs include: soft tissue lesions and integument damage (mink), and handling stress (mink and foxes); locomotory disorders (Arctic fox); group stress (red fox), locomotory disorders and isolation stress (raccoon dog); and inability to perform comfort behaviour, resting problems and predation stress (chinchilla). In the majority of cases, it is concluded that neither prevention nor substantial mitigation of the identified WCs is possible in the current system. The SO also includes conclusions on limited or substantial mitigation measures in the current system and, when not possible, on substantial mitigating measures which would require a change to a different system.}},
  articleno    = {{e9519}},
  author       = {{Nielsen, Soren Saxmose and Alvarez, Julio and Boklund, Anette Ella and Dippel, Sabine and Dorea, Fernanda and Figuerola, Jordi and Chueca, Miguel Angel Miranda and Michel, Virginie and Nannoni, Eleonora and Nonno, Romolo and Riber, Anja B. and Stahl, Karl and Stegeman, Jan Arend and Thulke, Hans-Hermann and Tuyttens, Frank and Winckler, Christoph and Diez-Leon, Maria and Edwards, Sandra and Schwarzer, Angela and Benedetti, Beatrice and Candiani, Denise and Cattaneo, Eleonora and Hempen, Michaela and Lima, Eliana and Caravaca, Claudia Millan and Tirchett, Neil J. and van der Stede, Yves and Vitali, Marika and Herskin, Mette S. and EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), [missing]}},
  issn         = {{1831-4732}},
  journal      = {{EFSA JOURNAL}},
  keywords     = {{FARMED BLUE FOXES,ABNORMAL REPETITIVE BEHAVIORS,ADRENAL-CORTEX FUNCTION,SILVER FOXES,MUSTELA-VISON,VULPES-VULPES,ALOPEX-LAGOPUS,NYCTEREUTES-PROCYONOIDES,NEOVISON-VISON,STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIOR,American mink,animal welfare,cage,chinchilla,fox,fur production,raccoon dog}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{175}},
  title        = {{Welfare of American mink, red and Arctic foxes, raccoon dog and chinchilla kept for fur production}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9519}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}

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