Mink farm targeted by animal rights group

by Catlady Wed Mar 26, 2008 17:08

Well done to the ALF activists who did this.

by Ecologist Thu Mar 27, 2008 01:34

I don't agree with fur farms but releasing these animals into the wild is doing untold damage to Irelands biodiversity particulary breeding waterfowl and waders. Increasing scientific evidence suggests mink are the prime reason for the near extinction of the Common Scoter(species of duck) as a breeding bird in Ireland and severe contraction in the numbers and breeding range of a number of other species such as the Coot, Black headed Gull, Mallard etc.

Mink are an American species which are not native to this country and were first found in the wild as escapees from fur farms here in the 70's. Since then they have spread pretty much countrywide and are reeking havoc even in the most remote of our valuable wetland habitats.

by anm Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:40

Mink farms should be shut down then, for that reason alone

by cat lover Thu Mar 27, 2008 21:36

Anybody who is concerned about the native wildlife in Ireland being threatened by mink should now voice their objections to the Minister for Agriculture, Mary Coughlan at the Dept of Agri, Kildare street, Dublin 2 because she issues the licenses to the mink farmers to breed the mink in the first place. This issue is at the moment open to submission so now is the time, after all any mink currently in the wild will die off eventually but as long as more are bred they will always exist here, blame the greedy fur farmers and the mininster.

The poor animals dont belong in tiny cages any more than they belong in this country and its not their fault they are here.

by suzi - national animal rights association Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:01

i get what ecologist is sayin but its not animal rights activists fault that the mink to were brought to ireland in the first place it was the fur farmers that were lookin to exploit them for money. yeah its bad that now animals that shudnt be here are roaming irish countryside but clearly ethical people werent going to sit idilly by while the dept. of agriculture is takin their time to stop the fur industry in ireland. like the comment above says its mary coughlan you shud talkin to.
well done to the irish ALF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by keeper Tue Apr 22, 2008 16:45

By releasing wild Mink into the countryside the ecology balance has now been upset.

It is simply an irresponsible act of terrorism on the wildlife of this land.

The people who have done this are no better than the Mink farmers themselves.

It simply is not good enough to point to a government minister and say "This is your fault!"

As a cat lover myself it means that you have put my pets lives and all other small creatures lives at risk too!

For that you are to blame, unless of course we take a leaf out of your book and blame your parents ?

I believe that what you should have done, was taken them to your home and given them free range of your house or flat. You would then realise that they are not the pleasant little furry animals that you erroneously believe them to be.

by elf Tue Apr 22, 2008 18:09

released mink reek havoc particularly with native birds. while ive no time for the mink farmers themselves those who are supposed to be acting in the concern of animals here ensured much more death to animals than the mink themselves. the farmers were going to brutally kill a number of mink, those who released them have killed beyond that number.

by Catlady Wed Apr 30, 2008 16:31

"Una Heffernan of Vasa Limited which owns the farm, said while the mink had been released from their cages they were contained in the holding compound of the yard and none had escaped into the countryside."

Considering none escaped into the countryside, I fail to see how the activists caused the loss of life and ecological damage that people here have mentioned.

Elf, Vasa kill 40,000 mink per year, every year and will continue to do so if left to their own devices. And that's just one farm. The mink in the Irish countryside are there as a direct result of fur farming. That is fact.

Keeper, the domestic cat you love so much (and I love them too) is actually the worlds best predator. Unlike most animals, even the big cats, they will hunt and kill when not hungry, and will basically attack anything they think they can get away with, size wise. They have the widest range of prey of any hunting animal (apart perhaps from man). So maybe next time you snuggle up to your lovely moggy you will spare a thought for the "small creatures" they hunt everytime they venture outside. As for a mink attacking your cats.... I don't know what sort of cats you have, but all six of mine are well able to fend off an alsation with a stare! Do you believe is it ok to farm cats for their skins??? Or is it wrong, simply because YOU like cats??? And ok to do so with mink because YOU don't like them???

by Fur Farmers in USA - Fur Commission USA Tue Jun 16, 2009 23:52

See www.furcommission.com for info on the source of natural fiber fur for cold weather clothing.

by Mr Man Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:43

"Considering none escaped into the countryside, I fail to see how the activists caused the loss of life and ecological damage that people here have mentioned."

Well thankfully it seems that the ALF were incompetent this time because surely there is no point in 'liberating' minks if they just stay within a fenced area to be put back in cages anytime. It is disingenuous to suggest that mink farms in ireland = mink in countryside when in actuality it is irresponsible activists that released them.

Catlady;

Cats, while good hunters, are part of the ecological balance in Ireland and for the most part have their food intake subsidised by owners and hunting reduced by having bells, kept indoors at night etc . Mink have a much wider palette than cats and a drastically higher metabolic rate requiring a larger intake of food. Mink DO attack cats, a good friend of mine lost 2 to them in West Clare.

I support closing the farms or forcing them to have greatly increased conditions, but releasing the mink into the wild is even worse.