Forum Topic

17 million mink to be culled as they carry covid

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54833459

Alina Dansord ● 2185d24 Comments

It is appalling. We are the problem, not the Mink.  Most cats carry coronvirus.  Everyone happy to have their pat cats killed (actually from recent responses to my posts on here I think the majority would probably say yes although feline coronavirus bears no relationshp to the recent coronavirus that we have imported by abusing wild animals.)

Claire Moran ● 2185d

"Announcing the cull, the country’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said 12 people were already infected with the mutated virus and mink are now considered a public health risk, based on advice from the SSI."Source: the Guardian.Clearly there is a link and a risk to the human population. So it seems it may be an extremely unpleasant necessity. Somewhat akin to what happened following BSE with UK cattle.

Rob Reynolds ● 2185d

12 people infected and you're going to cull 17 million, are you serious?

David Powers ● 2185d

Exactly, David, and no proof mink are infecting people.

Claire Moran ● 2185d

What do you think they should do?

Rob Reynolds ● 2184d

Leave the mink alone, simple.If a significant number, ie a lot more than 12, had been infected and subsequently died as a direct result, then perhaps you consider other options.Do you think sharks should be culled because they kill swimmers?

David Powers ● 2184d

I think you may have missed the fact that they're all in farms, not the wild. So leaving them alone isn't really an option. The Danish government health department is now linking around 800 covid cases to mink and that circa 50% of mink farm workers may have been infected. The UK just shut the travel corridor to Denmark as a consequence.The humane society see a silver lining (paraphrasing) as a cull potentially being a trigger point for the farmers to move away from fur farming. Anyway, question remains the same - what else can they do?

Rob Reynolds ● 2184d

I can see the possibility of eco-activists trying to raid the mink farms and free them, with potentially disastrous effects on the native wildlife.

Richard Greenhough ● 2184d

These Mink were never destined to grow old. The real question is will this produce a glut of pelts for the coat makers?.

Peter Milligan ● 2184d

Why is it necessary to kill them at all as fur no longer wanted.

Janice Evans ● 2184d

Unfortunately it is, Janice. Horrible though this  cull may sound, death is probably a welcome release for them. They have no quality of life, trapped and crammed into tiny cages. What sort of an existence is that? Poor creatures.

Jill Merrett ● 2184d

It's not wanted in the UK for example, but there is a large market for it elsewhere e.g. China.

Rob Reynolds ● 2184d

Yes I tend to forget others have a long way to go on animal welfare.

Janice Evans ● 2184d

Yup, China has plenty of large markets for covid-infected animals.

Richard Greenhough ● 2184d

Disgusting trade.

Basil Finnis ● 2184d

The point is that the virus has already mutated in some of the infected mink. It is unknown if this mutation can infect humans. However it may be immune to the vaccine currently under development. Given the distaste shown on this thread for mink farming would it not be better to cull them to avoid the possibility of another Covid-(20?) producing another pandemic and eradicate future mink farming?

Jeffrey Cope ● 2184d

28 Days Later but with Minks :) Seriously awful if they do that and cruel.

chris poole ● 2184d

It's only fairly recently (2015) that Denmark made bestiality a crime. Nice way to treat animals.

Claire Moran ● 2184d

Anyone know what's going to become of the fur?

Simon Temple ● 2184d

Sterilised and then fur coats as usual maybe.

Vivienne Cox ● 2184d

Hope so. Pointless it all going to waste. I've tried a few on in the past and they are beyond luxurious. But too expensive. Maybe this excess of supply will reduce the cost.

Simon Temple ● 2184d

Expert this morning said all will be culled and all pelts destroyedAs pointed out ,most of denmarks pelts are exported to china where they allso have fur farms state ownedWho thought a EU country would have a fur trade in 2020  with china for mink pelts allong with France who  exports roughly 120 million euros worth of fur a year.

Julian Pavey ● 2183d

Wait till they find that Cats & Dogs pass Covid to humans.

Richard Potts ● 2183d

Heallso said that the human covid strain has most likely got into the mink and formed a new type strain of covid. That is a worry for all animals which is why they have to be culled,no option. Unless you want this covid strain passing onto all animals

Julian Pavey ● 2183d