The Danish government has controversially culled millions of mink from farms after a mutated strain of coronavirus was detected in the animals. The cull has now been paused after authorities questioned the legality of such a drastic action. Now, in the US, anti-fur activists are seizing on this tragedy to once again call for unnecessary…
By Greg Cima Published on October 28, 2020 At least 8,000 minks have died of infection with SARS-CoV-2 on farms in Utah.Infection seems to be deadlier among older minks. State agriculture authorities in Wisconsin and Michigan also announced Oct. 8 and 9, respectively, that the virus had killed minks on one farm in each state.…
Washington, D.C., August 17, 2020 — The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) today announced the first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 in humans) in mink at two farms in Utah. These are the first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in mink in the United States. The…
Jan 15 2020 – There is no scientific foundation for claiming poor animal welfare in the Swedish mink production, and Minister for Rural Affairs Jennie Nilsson has consequently rejected a ban on fur farming in Sweden. In a debate in the Swedish parliament today the Minister referred to the scientific recommendations of the Swedish Board…
In 1985, the Fur Farm Animal Welfare Coalition published the nation’s first set of operating Guidelines for the benefit of domestic mink and fox producers in the United States. These Guidelines were designed to assist farmers in assuring a humane environment for the animals under their care. They were prepared by leaders in the U.S.…
Far removed from urban activists, Jane Dragon makes hand and foot warmers outside her family home in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. The recent surge in anti-fur campaigning makes me feel angry, but also very sad. Angry, because most anti-fur rhetoric is so completely misinformed and malicious. Sad, because the public debate about fur is based…
What’s the Difference? For the last 50 years or more, the debate has raged over the role of animals in human society, with particular reference to the ways in which we use them for our benefit. There are fundamental differences between the Animal Welfare viewpoint and the Animal Rights philosophy. Fueling the debate still further has…
What is the Humane Care Merit Award Certification Program? The fur industry’s Humane Care Merit Award program, launched in 1989, was one of the first formalized humane care certification programs in U.S.
Humans & Animals Are Inextricably Tied Together People are part of the natural world, and our relationship with animals is defined in large measure by the natural order.
An Interview With a Mink Farmer There are many factors to take into account when considering the ethics of raising animals for fur.