Mink Farming Welfare and Phase-Out Campaigns

Mink farming confines highly active semi-aquatic predators in wire cages that fail to meet their fundamental welfare needs, driving international phase-out campaigns.

Key Facts

An estimated 20-25 million mink are farmed annually in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Poland
Mink are semi-aquatic and naturally travel up to 5 km daily to reach water for hunting
Wire mesh cages measuring 30x90cm are standard housing, providing no space for natural movement
Stereotypic behavior including repetitive pacing occurs in 80-90% of farmed mink
COVID-19 outbreaks on mink farms led to mass cullings of millions of animals in 2020-2021

Welfare Considerations

Mink welfare on commercial fur farms represents one of the clearest cases of systematic welfare failure in agriculture. These are obligate predators with natural ranges of several square kilometers being confined to cages smaller than a desk. Stereotypic behaviors indicating chronic frustration are near-universal. COVID-19 outbreaks that required killing millions of mink demonstrated the public health risks of high-density fur farming alongside the welfare costs. The Netherlands, Czech Republic, and other countries have banned mink farming; many others are under active campaign.

What You Can Do

Refuse to purchase real fur products or fur-trimmed items
Support Humane Society and Fur Free Alliance campaigns for national mink farming bans
Advocate for your government to join countries that have banned fur farming
Choose synthetic alternatives to fur for warmth and fashion