According to an email from the Humane Society International (HSI), Denmark’s Prime Minister announced a cull of all Danish mink farms, in part due to the coronavirus. In Denmark, per HSI, 207 of 1,139 mink farms have been infected with COVID-19.

Millions of mink will be killed as a result of the change.

Source: DW News/Youtube

Speaking from Amsterdam, Dr. Joanna Swabe, Humane Society International/Europe’s senior director of public affairs, said in an emailed statement,  “Denmark is one of the largest fur producers on the planet, so a total shut down of all Danish mink fur farms amidst spiralling COVID-19 infections, is a significant development. Although not a ban on fur farming, this move signals the end of suffering for millions of animals confined to small wire cages on Danish fur farms solely for the purposes of a trivial fur fashion that no-one needs. We commend the Danish Prime Minister on her decision to take such an essential and science-led step to protect Danish citizens from the deadly coronavirus and ensure that the effectiveness of any vaccine is not compromised by mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus from its mink hosts. With COVID-19 having already been detected on 207 of the 1,139 fur farms in Denmark and over 1.2 million mink having already been culled as a result, the risk of keeping these virus reservoirs operating is far too great. A decline in the public demand for fur fashion has led to a significant drop in pelt prices and stockpiles of fur skins going unsold at auctions. Although the death of millions of mink – whether culled for COVID-19 or killed for fur – is an animal welfare tragedy, fur farmers will now have a clear opportunity to pivot away from this cruel and dying industry and choose a more humane and sustainable livelihood instead. HSI urges the Danish government to assist fur farmers to transition to other activities. There has never been a more compelling time for Denmark to shut down this sick industry for good.”

The first infections on mink fur farms were found in April and the government used the opportunity to take a stance against the industry and call for closing all farms by March 2021. Over a million mink were killed during the pandemic.

Read more about mink and fur farms during coronavirus, including the coronavirus spread through Dutch farms, a million mink killed by Dutch fur farms during coronavirus, and the Dutch government’s previous statement on mink and the coronavirus. 

Sign this petition to ban fur farming in the European Union!

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