Animal Rights/Vegan Activists' Strategies Articles

4000 More Captive Mink Find Freedom in Michigan

From North American Animal Liberation Press Office
December 2022

As the pelting season grows to a close, these animals were slated for certain death by anal electrocution, gassing or clubbing within the next few weeks, at the age of around seven months, when most profitable for their "owners."

Michigan: In an anonymous communique received by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, activists have claimed responsibility for the liberation of 4000 captive mink from Scholten Farm in Wayland, Michigan (260 139th Avenue). This is the fourth liberation from an American fur farm in the last 2 months. Extensive damage to ten farm vehicles, the water supply and killing devices were also claimed.

The full communique reads:

scholten farm and feed supply, at 260 139th ave in wayland michigan, recently woke up to the jubilation of 4,000 mink getting their first taste of freedom. scholten farms has concrete walls surrounding their mink prisons, but 4 ramps were built (with their own materials) and lots of mink treats were laid along the ramps to entice mink out of the enclosure. the mink killing machine was located and destroyed. the pvc water pipes that connect to each shed were dislodged and destroyed. to ensure this place closes, all 10 vehicles (including farm equipment) on property were sabotaged, by putting bleach, water, and sand in gas tanks and oil reservoirs. free all prisoners and give the land back.

As the pelting season grows to a close, these animals were slated for certain death by anal electrocution, gassing or clubbing within the next few weeks, at the age of around seven months, when most profitable for their "owners". Despite being caged for their entire short and brutish lives, captive mink remain genetically wild, and have been proven capable of survival in the wild by the time they are several months old.

Numerous similar captive animal facilities have closed due to the economic impact of these raids in the past. The three previous liberations this year were from Tonn's Mink Farm in Massillon, Michigan, Pipkorn Farm in Powers, Michigan, and most recently Lion Farms in Van Wert, Michigan. None of the activists responsible for the liberations have been identified or apprehended.

Mink killers and their apologists often say the most ridiculous things to try and mitigate their losses after raids like these. Sample absurdities spouted as fact include:

• Many or most of the escaped animals were run over and killed by cars.
  In reality, mink farms are located in rural areas with little traffic, mink are quick and solitary animals, and it beggars belief to imagine them aggregating in the road waiting to be run over by the rare passing vehicle. FALSE!

• Many or most freed animals returned to the farm for shelter or food, or because they loved their captors.
  Very funny. And FALSE!

• Captive mink are domesticated.
  Despite even generations in captivity, it has been shown scientifically that mink remain genetically wild, and studies with radio-collared mink demonstrate clearly the animals are capable of surviving in the wild. No, they won't starve or freeze to death. Seriously FALSE!

• Released captives are roaming the neighborhoods killing livestock, fish in koi bonds (you can't make this stuff up, and (gasp) family pets.
  Captive, now free and wild mink disperse quickly and and are semi-aquatic animals who have no desire to be anywhere near humans and their "livestock" or pets. There may be some minimal impact on the local ecosystems temporarily while the animals disperse and learn their way around, but no habitats are decimated or overrun or rendered free of other small animals. And no, the animals do not kill wantonly and more than they need to survive, as one commentator had the audacity to suggest.

The Animal Liberation Front and other anonymous activists utilize economic sabotage in addition to the direct liberation of animals from conditions of abuse and imprisonment to halt needless animal suffering. By making it more expensive to trade in the lives of innocent, sentient beings, they maintain the atrocities against our brothers and sisters are likely to occur in smaller numbers; their goal is to abolish the exploitation, imprisonment, torture and killing of all innocent, non-human animals.

A copy of the Final Nail, a listing of known fur farms in North America, is available HERE.

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