Farm Animals

Farmed Mink Welfare in the Fur Industry

Mink farming causes serious welfare harms rooted in the fundamental incompatibility between the species' biology and cage confinement on fur farms.

Key Facts

An estimated 30 million mink were farmed annually before COVID mass culls
Mink are semi-aquatic predators requiring large territories in the wild
Standard cage size on fur farms is 30x90 cm per animal — inadequate for the species
Stereotypic behaviours affect 80-100% of farmed mink
More than 20 countries have banned mink farming on welfare grounds

Welfare Considerations

Mink are solitary, active predators that in nature travel several kilometres daily, hunt fish and aquatic prey, and maintain exclusive territories. Cage farming denies all of these natural behaviours. The result is near-universal stereotypy — repetitive pacing and circling — indicating chronic psychological suffering. The welfare case against mink farming is now considered scientifically established, and bans are spreading across Europe.

What You Can Do

Avoid all real fur products, including 'trim' on coats and accessories
Verify that faux fur is not mislabelled real fur
Support campaigns for a UK ban on fur imports
Lobby MPs to include fur import bans in UK trade policy
Share information about mink welfare with fashion-conscious networks