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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be so upset about mink fur farming and I can’t believe it’s legal.

127 replies

quest1on · 09/11/2020 14:10

I think this is one of the most disgustingly inhumane industries I could imagine. What can I do? I’ve read today that France at least has banned mink-farming from now on, and Holland has also closed all farms permanently off the back of this Covid Outbreak, But Denmark?? Wtf are you doing? I thought you were a civilised society! Any country which allows this should be ashamed. I guess the one positive of Covid is that it’s shining a light on these appalling industries. People who work in this trade deserve a lot worse than bankruptcy and Covid. I don’t know how they can live with themselves.

OP posts:
SpeccyLime · 09/11/2020 14:13

I do get it OP, but please don’t just limit yourself to feeling this way about mink. The U.K. is a civilised country too and yet we breed millions of animals to die, forcing them to live in unnatural and often inhuman environments along the way. Pigs and cows aren’t always as cute as mink but their lives on farms are no less awful for that.

SpeccyLime · 09/11/2020 14:14

*inhumane not inhuman

ScottishStottie · 09/11/2020 14:15

Hows it different to farming any other animals?

I eat meat so i find it hard to get worked up about any farmed animals

quest1on · 09/11/2020 14:17

Speecy I am vegetarian for this reason, but it’s even worse when this kind of intensive farming is just to make coats and stupid accessories that nobody actually even needs. For me, it’s bad enough when it’s food, but I understand others feel differently.

OP posts:
Calmandmeasured1 · 09/11/2020 14:19

What? You can't believe that it is legal in some countries in the world? There are many countries in which there are inhuman practices against animals. Think Wuhan, China. for one. At least mink farming isn't allowed in the UK anymore. No idea what you can do about it though.

bloggeryblog · 09/11/2020 14:19

You sound shocked, OP.
We've always treated animals like shit. Most countries do in some capacity. It's not news surely?
If anything good comes of this shitty situation it is a raised awareness I suppose.

DazedandConcerned · 09/11/2020 14:22

There are many countries which allow barbaric practices to continue. For example, I am from a country that allows people to club seals to death.

Having been to Denmark I was surprised at how large the mink farming industry is. I wish they had used covid as a wake-up call to stop. I'm appalled by it frankly.

quest1on · 09/11/2020 14:26

Yes I know about China (though I can hardly bear to think about it) and obviously I know about farming in general and I have my views on that, which I won’t get into on here.

But these days, in the UK, you don’t see many people wearing fur coats or hats do you? And if you do, they look beyond ridiculous. It’s so easy to get alternatives that there’s no need anyway.

I just would have thought Scandinavian countries would have also banned this kind of thing long ago - the culture in those countries is generally quite forward-thinking and “woke” in comparison to the world in general. Or that’s what I thought...

OP posts:
haba · 09/11/2020 14:26

We treat most animals appallingly.
Palm oil is in almost all processed foods now, including all cakes, biscuits, most chocolate in the UK, but its production is destroying the rainforests and the habitat of thousands of species, including the orangutan which is a gentle, highly intelligent creature, so similar to our own species that it's effectively genocide.

quest1on · 09/11/2020 14:34

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drspouse · 09/11/2020 14:37

Having been to Denmark I was surprised at how large the mink farming industry is. I wish they had used covid as a wake-up call to stop. I'm appalled by it frankly.
I also eat meat, but farming animals in such close conditions is asking for outbreaks of something - as it turns out in this case - extremely nasty.

ramblingsonthego · 09/11/2020 14:39

Speciesism at its finest on this thread! Unless you are already a vegan OP, you should feel this about all animals. Not just the fluffy cute ones.

bloggeryblog · 09/11/2020 14:40

I'm a vegan but I agree that fur farming is barbaric more so than most food farming we do. Most.
The element of how unnecessary it is is a point too. People need to eat, they don't need to eat meat of course, but nobody needs to wear fur. I suppose that's up for debate in Antarctica etc but I'm sure viable alternatives exist even for that.

FakeFlamingo · 09/11/2020 14:42

@quest1on - I 100% feel the same way as you. I couldn't believe it's so easy to kill millions of mink because of covid, and even worse they'd have been killed anyways because some people want them as a coat? When will humans wake up that this is NOT ok.

LastTrainEast · 09/11/2020 14:43

I'm not a fan of mink farming, but I wouldn't wish that someone who was running a legitimate business should fail and be unable to support his family. I expect you'll be wanting sympathy OP and tax payers money if it happens to you.

Palladin · 09/11/2020 14:44

It's barbaric, and yes, completely unnecessary.

CheetasOnFajitas · 09/11/2020 14:45

Yes I know about China... But these days, in the UK, you don’t see many people wearing fur coats or hats do you? And if you do, they look beyond ridiculous. It’s so easy to get alternatives that there’s no need anyway.

OP do you realise that about 90% of the Danish mink pelts are sold to China? They have no need for a domestic market.

CheetasOnFajitas · 09/11/2020 14:46

And it is also illegal in the U.K.

workhomesleeprepeat · 09/11/2020 14:47

There are mink farms in Ireland too. Farming animals for fur is a grim but surely you can’t be that surprised that it happens in Scandinavian countries? It’s very cold there. And they’re not these perfect, moral, ethical places...nowhere is as far as I know

quest1on · 09/11/2020 14:47

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grassisjeweled · 09/11/2020 14:48

vegetarian but eats a BIgMac once in a while

Oh just stop with the faux concern

BonnieDundee · 09/11/2020 14:51

I do get it OP, but please don’t just limit yourself to feeling this way about mink. The U.K. is a civilised country too and yet we breed millions of animals to die, forcing them to live in unnatural and often inhuman environments along the way. Pigs and cows aren’t always as cute as mink but their lives on farms are no less awful for that.

Agree. Although inslightly disagree about pigs not being cute. Have you seen EstherThePig on FB/Twitter?Smile

GoJoe2020 · 09/11/2020 14:51

If these people die of Covid, then the world will be a better place. How can they sleep at night, knowing that they have 70,000 sentient animals in tiny cages on their land? Just waiting to be skinned. Disgusting people who deserve all they get

You're all about the poor but you're wishing death on humans? Pretty disgusting yourself OP

Fleurdelys1 · 09/11/2020 14:52

I’ve seen mink escapees by the local canal so I really hope the COVID mutation doesn’t reach the UK.

Mistymonday · 09/11/2020 14:52

Vegan and yes it is abhorrent. I agree they should all close down all fur farms for good and I have no sympathy for the skin traders. Mind you, I also feel like this about dairy farmers, pug farmers and puppy farmers and fish farmers and fishermen. I look forward to all those industries that trade on the suffering of the innocent dying out, just hope I live to see it.