Thousands of mink recently died of coronavirus at a Taylor County fur farm, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
Authorities are now investigating the farm, where Wisconsin State Veterinarian Dr. Darlene Konkle confirmed the presence of the virus over a month ago. It is quarantined indefinitely.
The mink farm in Taylor County is only one of several throughout the United States to recently experience a coronavirus outbreak. In early October, as many as 8,000 mink died at fur farms in Utah over a 10-day span, KHN reported.
Shockingly, the affected farms will still process the dead infected minks’ coats to make fur garments.
As coronavirus outbreaks increase at mink farms throughout the world, a mutated version of the virus is more likely to spread, potentially reducing the effectiveness of vaccines currently under development.
In Denmark, up to 17 million mink are set to be killed in an effort to get a mutated virus under control, according to Health Minister Magnus Heunicke.
The severe animal cruelty and ever-present public health risks are clear evidence of why the horrifying fur farming industry must end. If you haven’t yet, sign Lady Freethinker’s petition urging U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to push for a nationwide ban on fur farming to protect innocent animals and decrease the chances of another deadly global pandemic.
SIGN: Ban Cruel Fur Farms As Minks Test Positive for Coronavirus
