Mink farming for fur is one of the most welfare-contentious forms of animal agriculture, with highly stressed semi-wild predators housed in small wire cages that prevent expression of virtually all natural behaviors — and an industry facing bans in over twenty countries.
Mink are among the most welfare-compromised farmed animals relative to their wild behavioral needs. Their predatory instincts, need for aquatic activity, and natural ranging behavior are entirely incompatible with the small wire cages used in commercial fur farming. The extraordinarily high rates of stereotypic behavior — documented across the scientific literature — are indicative of chronic, severe psychological suffering. The fur industry has developed some enrichment standards and codes of practice, but the fundamental incompatibility between mink nature and cage farming remains unresolved by these measures. The growing number of national bans reflects a policy judgment that no economically viable fur farming system can meet the behavioral needs of these animals.