Farm Animal Welfare

Farmed Mink Phase-Out Progress

Mink farming is being phased out across much of Europe following welfare evidence of chronic stress and stereotypy in farmed mink, with significant variation in pace between countries.

Key Facts

Mink are semi-aquatic carnivores; wire cage farming prevents swimming and complex territory exploration
Stereotypies including circling, bar-biting, and self-biting affect a significant proportion of farmed mink
Denmark, the Netherlands, and France have banned or are phasing out mink farming
UK mink farming ended in 2003; Poland and Finland have resisted bans
Fur-free retailer pledges and declining consumer demand are accelerating industry contraction globally

Welfare Considerations

Mink farming causes chronic, irreducible welfare harm due to the fundamental mismatch between the species' needs and the cage environment; phase-out is the appropriate welfare response.

What You Can Do

Avoid fur products including mink fur and blends
Support campaigns for global mink farming bans
Choose fur-free fashion brands and retailers