Mink are wild carnivores kept in small wire cages on fur farms. Welfare evidence consistently documents severe behavioral problems, and COVID-19 demonstrated their potential as disease reservoirs.
Mink farming fails on every welfare dimension. These semi-aquatic predators with large natural ranges are confined in wire cages without water access, social complexity, or meaningful movement opportunity. The behavioral pathology that results is severe and consistent across farms and countries. The COVID-19 episode revealed an additional dimension: intensive confinement of susceptible species creates disease risk not only for the animals but for human populations. The combination of severe welfare failure and pandemic risk has driven many countries toward prohibition. The remaining industry faces diminishing consumer demand and increasing regulatory pressure that makes its long-term viability questionable.