Several European countries have banned mink farming following welfare concerns and pandemic-related culls. Examining what happens after bans helps assess their welfare impact and inform future policy.
Mink farming welfare harms stem from the fundamental mismatch between mink behavioral needs and cage farming conditions. Mink are highly active predators requiring large territories and water access that wire cage systems cannot provide. Stereotypic behaviors including repetitive pacing and self-mutilation are prevalent in farmed mink populations, indicating chronic suffering. Bans have eliminated this welfare harm for millions of animals in Europe, though global production has shifted rather than declined overall. The pandemic culls that preceded several bans caused acute mass welfare harm but prompted welfare conversations that accelerated legislative progress. Supporting global bans addresses the remaining production.