Mink farming for fur is among the most welfare-damaging forms of animal agriculture. Scientific evidence and public opinion are driving legislative bans across Europe and beyond.
Mink farming is widely regarded by welfare scientists as one of the most problematic forms of animal agriculture. Mink are wild animals whose natural behavioral repertoire — swimming, hunting, wide-ranging solitary movement — is completely denied in cage conditions. The result is extraordinarily high rates of stereotypic behavior that indicate chronic psychological suffering. The case for a mink farming phase-out rests on four pillars: scientific evidence of severe welfare deprivation; the availability of synthetic alternatives to fur; declining consumer demand in most Western markets; and the disease risk demonstrated by COVID-19 transmission. Countries that have phased out mink farming demonstrate that the transition is economically manageable for farming communities with appropriate support.