VHS has been taking action against the cruel and dangerous mink farming industry.
Mink farming not only compromises animal welfare, but also creates potential risks to public health, as the spread of COVID-19 on B.C. mink farms has shown. Mink are confined in small, wire cages for the duration of their lives, denying them the opportunity to engage in the natural behaviours that they would exhibit in the wild. This can cause stress, leading to stereotypic behaviour and self-mutilation.
The transmission of COVID-19 to mink has caused mutation of the virus in other countries. This has raised concern about risks of increased transmissibility, vaccine efficacy and the potential for farmed mink to infect wild populations, leading to virus reservoirs outside of direct human control.
We have written to B.C.’s minister of agriculture to call for an end to fur farming in the province and made a submission to the National Farm Animal Care Council’s review of the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Mink.