Mink Fur Farming After COVID-19 | Animal Welfare Hub

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered mass mink culls and accelerated fur farm bans, but mink farming continues in several countries with ongoing welfare and biosecurity concerns.

Key Facts

Denmark culled approximately 17 million mink in 2020 after SARS-CoV-2 spread on farms
Mink farms became identified as major zoonotic spillover risk for novel virus variants
Mink are solitary, semi-aquatic carnivores kept in small wire cages in intensive sheds
Self-mutilation, infanticide, and stereotypic weaving are common on mink farms
Poland remains one of the largest mink fur producers following Danish culls
Several European countries have introduced or extended fur farm bans since 2020

Welfare Considerations

Mink welfare on farms was poor before COVID-19 and the pandemic added a new dimension of harm: mass culling of millions of animals in distressing circumstances. Surviving mink continue to be held under conditions that deny their natural behaviours — swimming, hunting, burrowing. Welfare science consistently documents high rates of stereotypy indicating chronic frustration. The zoonotic risk of mink farms has strengthened the case for bans on animal welfare, public health, and biosafety grounds. Consumer pressure and legislation together represent the clearest path toward ending mink farming.

What You Can Do

Avoid mink fur products and mink oil cosmetics
Support fur farm ban legislation in your country
Choose certified cruelty-free cosmetics and personal care products
Donate to organisations campaigning for fur farm phase-outs
Raise awareness about the public health risks of fur farms