Farm Animals

Farmed Mink Welfare

Mink farming involves keeping highly active semi-aquatic predators in small wire cages, causing severe welfare deprivation and stereotypic behaviour in virtually all individuals.

Key Facts

An estimated 50 million mink are farmed globally each year for fur
Mink are solitary in the wild but housed singly in cages of around 900 square cm
Stereotypic pacing and circling affect the majority of farmed mink
Several EU countries have banned mink farming on welfare grounds

Welfare Considerations

Mink are adapted to patrol territories of several square kilometres and access water for swimming. Cage confinement denies all natural behaviour including hunting, swimming and territorial ranging. Virtually all farmed mink develop stereotypies indicating chronic psychological distress. Scientific consensus supports that mink are unable to adapt to farming conditions.

What You Can Do

Choose fur-free fashion and check clothing labels for mink trim
Support campaigns for mink farming bans in countries where it continues
Avoid products certified only by fur industry welfare schemes
Support the UK Fur Free Alliance and equivalent organisations internationally