Mink farming for fur has been banned or phased out across much of Europe following mounting evidence of severe welfare problems inherent to the production system.
The welfare case against mink farming is among the strongest for any farmed species. Mink are obligate predators with extensive ranging needs and semi-aquatic lifestyles that wire cage systems cannot accommodate. Scientific review after review has found that the production system is fundamentally incompatible with mink welfare: the animals cannot swim, investigate, hunt, or range, and they chronically experience the frustration of these strongly motivated behaviours. The result is extremely high prevalence of stereotypic behaviour — in some studies affecting the majority of farmed mink. The progression of national bans across Europe reflects the regulatory recognition that meaningful welfare standards cannot be achieved within the production model itself, and that the only welfare-positive outcome is ending the industry.