Stereotypic behaviors in farmed mink are reliable indicators of poor welfare in barren cage environments.
Stereotypic behaviors in mink are among the clearest signals of welfare failure in any farming system. These repetitive, functionless movements emerge when animals are unable to perform highly motivated behaviors — in mink, swimming, extensive ranging, and hunting — due to environmental restriction. Once established, stereotypies persist even when conditions improve, suggesting neurological changes from chronic stress. The high prevalence of stereotypies across the mink farming industry indicates a systemic welfare failure inherent to the production model rather than individual management failures.