Mink farming raises profound welfare concerns because minks are semi-aquatic carnivores with strong natural swimming behaviours that cannot be adequately accommodated in standard wire cage systems.
Mink farming is a system in which the welfare compromises are structural — the species has needs that wire cage systems cannot meet, regardless of management quality. Access to water, adequate space, and complexity are core mink needs that standard production systems deny by design. The trend toward national fur farming bans reflects growing recognition that acceptable welfare for minks in farming contexts is not achievable within current economic models.