(03/11/2000) Judge says animal rights campaigner produced 'selective' evidence against farmer

A judge has thrown out a private prosecution bought against a fur farmer by animal rights campaigner Mark Glover of Respect for Animals. District Judge Jonathan Finestein at Preston Magistrates Court said that a video alleging poor fur animal housing and other conditions was 'selective' and filmed by people with an interest in stopping fur farming. [1]

The British Fur Trade Association said: "Not for the first time courts have found that advocacy films and information [2] disseminated by animal rights activists should be viewed with scepticism. Such films often lack credibility, because the authenticity of film by location, date and circumstance is generally not substantiated. The highly edited and selective films are incredibly removed from the reality of the fur farm sector. When people visit fur farms they can see for themselves that the reality of a well-managed and successful fur farm is quite different to that portrayed in these films."

The British Fur Trade Association added: "The only proper basis for consideration of animal welfare is the independent assessment made by veterinarians from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who regularly inspect fur farms to ensure that good animal welfare standards are met."

Issued by the British Fur Trade Association.
3 November 2000
Press contact – Andrea Martin
e-mail press@britishfur.co.uk

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Notes to editors:

Reported by Press Association, 1 November 2000

On November 5 1992 a jury at Leeds High Court unanimously decided that Mark Glover, Stefan Ormrod and the animal rights organisation – Lynx – had libelled Swalesmoor Mink Farm Ltd and the late Leo Sawrij.
The jury unanimously found that the allegations made by Mark Glover and the others against Mr Sawrij and his farm were without foundation; untrue and unfair. The Plaintiffs were awarded £40,000 damages against Mr Glover and his co-defendants.

Neither Mr Glover nor his co-defendants paid a penny of the damages or the substantial legal costs as a result of which Mr Glover and Mr Ormrod were made bankrupt and Lynx went into liquidation.

Mr Glover now represents the animal rights organisation, Respect for Animals, which was a co-supporter of the failed Private Members Bill to ban fur farming brought by Labour MP Maria Eagle in 1999.