Letter: Fur farms: better to be partly right

Sir: Richard North's article on the farming of mink for their fur (6 March) quotes Dr Georgia Mason of Oxford University, who says that mink is probably the best example of factory farming and the least cause for concern. Mr. North's conclusion is that buying fur is probably less immoral than buying battery eggs. This may be true but is it still a rather weak defence of fur farming.

The sad reality is that animals are exploited in may different ways for food, clothing, entertainment and experimentation. Oppose it all and you will be labelled an extremist; oppose only some of it and you will be accused of hypocrisy.

It is inconsistent to oppose fur but not battery eggs, but at least in doing so, one will be demonstrating some compassion. I would rather be inconsistently right than consistently wrong.

RICHARD MOUNTFORD

Birmingham