Mink farming keeps semi-aquatic carnivores in small wire cages — a practice banned in many countries.
Mink are semi-aquatic carnivores with strong behavioral needs for swimming, hunting, and ranging over large territories. Fur farm conditions deny all of these needs — small wire cages on wire mesh floors are fundamentally incompatible with mink behavioral requirements. The resulting frustration manifests in stereotypic behaviors including circling, self-biting, and repetitive pacing. The COVID-19 pandemic additionally highlighted disease amplification risks at mink farms. Legislative bans in numerous countries reflect the conclusion that mink welfare and intensive farming are irreconcilable.