A wild mink in Utah has tested positive for COVID-19 in the first known case of a non-captive animal catching the potentially deadly disease, according to a USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories memo released on December 13. The disturbing discovery comes after thousands of mink died earlier this year at 16 farms in Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah.
The infected mink was captured amid ongoing tests of wild animals and in the “immediate vicinity of one of the affected farms,” Utah state veterinarian Dean Taylor told National Geographic.
The strain found in the wild mink is “indistinguishable” from other infected mink throughout the state.
“Finding a virus in a wild mink but not in other wildlife nearby likely indicates an isolated event,” said University of Wisconsin-Madison veterinarian Tony L. Goldberg, “but we should take all such information seriously.”
“The finding demonstrates the continued importance of continuing surveillance around infected mink farms,” said USDA spokesperson Lyndsay Cole, “and of taking measures to prevent the spread of the virus to wildlife.”
The USDA has not yet announced a plan to prevent the virus from spreading to the North American mink population. We must end the transmission of coronavirus at cruel mink farms by closing them altogether. In addition to potentially spreading zoonotic diseases, mink farms are inherently cruel and use torturous methods to kill mink — including gas, electrocution and neck-breaking.
If you haven’t yet, sign Lady Freethinker’s petition urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to push for an urgent nationwide ban on cruel fur farming, saving innocent animals’ lives and reducing the risk of spreading zoonotic diseases.
SIGN: Ban Cruel Fur Farms As Minks Test Positive for Coronavirus
This is really frightening!!!
We do NOT NEED Animal FUR — we have FAUX FUR which is just as warm and stylish — BAN Fur Farms — STOP the unconscionable, depraved CRUELTY to Animals — SHUT DOWN FUR Farms FOREVER.
Mink farming must stop.
Never heard such un-scientific mumbo jumbo from Universities. Shame on them. Hope the petition to stop this farming succeeds.
Evil sadistic satanist. Know your place in everlasting hell fire is booked. Do NOT mock God the Creator of ALL.
Evil sadistic satanist. Know your place in everlasting hell fire is booked. Do NOT mock God the Creator of ALL.
I wrote to the Demark Embassy in London, oh l got a letter back it was usless, shame on you Lars Thuesen for not
writing back to me about the 17 mil Mink your country Murdered and shame on the EU for letting Fur farms in the EU
Fur belongs on Animals not evil Humans look at us know with covid this is gods ways of sayinbg stop killing my
Animals.
So Eu you going to ban FUR farms you cruel nation.
Animal Lives Matter
love from uk
Fur is murder, there’s no way around that. Nowadays, anyone wearing fur is look at as a criminal by the people and not just in North America but around the world, even in China. But hey, we have to save the jobs for heartless fur farmers and the mindless trappers. Never mind the torture, fear and agony of the animals, they are just born for vanity, greed and profit. After all, they are just things, merchandise.