Press Release: Mink Farm Raid in Donegal

national | animal rights | press release Sunday October 03, 2010 14:14 by Laura Broxson - CAFT Ireland caftireland at gmail dot com PO Box 11019, Dublin 2

COALITION TO ABOLISH THE FUR TRADE - IRELAND

***PRESS RELEASE: MINK FARM RAID IN DONEGAL***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT CAFT Ireland spokesperson: Laura Broxson – 086 8729 444 – www.naracampaigns.org

“The recent release of mink from ‘Rolf Anderson’s Mink Farm’ in Donegal has resulted in a frenzied mass hysteria over the claimed ‘dangers’ of mink on the loose. We want people to step out of this lunacy and actually think logically about the situation” says spokesperson for CAFT Ireland, Laura Broxson

“Whoever liberated these mink from their cages had good reason to do so – fur farming is a barbarically cruel industry, and we fully support what has happened. These animals would have been turned into coats, and now they are free. If you were a mink, which life would you choose?”

“This fur farm, even compared to the others in the country, is of a particularly sub-standard condition. By the farmers’ own admission in recent media interviews, they still illegally keep 5 mink per cage – even though 1 mink per cage barely has enough room to turn around in. We have reported this to the Dept. of Agriculture and are eagerly awaiting their response on the matter.”

“The claims that sheep, horses – and even children – are at risk of a mink attack are just ludicrous. It is actually frightening how grown men and women can believe such uneducated nonsense.”

“Mink are part of the otter family – do people run in fear of otters too? No. So why are mink portrayed as invincible, man-eating beasts? It’s ridiculous.”

“Unfortunately for mink, they seem to have also become the scapegoats for the decline of certain native species in Ireland – even in areas where there have never been fur farms. If there were no mink in the country, perhaps officials would have to acknowledge that pollution, destruction of habitats, hunting, and the over-use of pesticides are actually to blame for species failing to flourish.”

“What is also disturbing is peoples’ eagerness to play ‘God’, by deciding which species they feel should live, and which should be killed – as shown by the Government’s recent decision to sanction a mink cull. Who says mink are less important, or more of a threat to other animals, than any other species in the country? The U.K. has a wild mink population of about 40,000 – and it’s not an issue. Nature always balances itself, it’s humans who create problems.”

“The most conveniently forgotten fact in all of this is that fur farms should not exist in the first place. Animals are kept in horrendous conditions, they are fed liquefied fish organs which they have to lick through the bars of their cages, and when they are 6months old, they are gassed to death – 50 at a time, which results in many being merely unconscious, not dead, when they are skinned.”

“As a society, we have long since moved on from our neanderthal, knuckle-dragging ways – it’s time the fur industry recognised that. They are a blood stain on this country that needs to be removed immediately.”

“The new programme for government has agreed to a phase-out ban on fur farming, set for completion in 2012 – but this is too far away. They need to be shut down now.”