Tuesday 02 July 2019 | 203

The agony of mink at a farm in Eure-et-Loir

The agony of mink at a farm in Eure-et-Loir

Mis à jour le 04 May 2020

They have just been born, suffering and death surrounds them. Small minks’ utter cries of distress through their closed eyelids. Throughout this breeding process young and old are dying in the midst of this horror: the cages are strewn with corpses often torn apart, sometimes mummified ... We constantly denounce these living conditions of the mink that are raised for their fur alone, but here we are beyond anything normal: this farm must close immediately! We are suing the breeder for acts of cruelty.

Hr blog

The corpses pile up

We have decided as part of our participation along with the "Fur" commission of welfare’s mission, which is conducted by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and as the French representative of the international Fur Free Alliance coalition, to return to assess the situation three years after our initial investigation into French mink farms.

We had to interrupt this audit urgently at the visit of the first breeder, as the absolute horror was exposed cage by cage!

The worst breeder in France, possibly even in Europe

In more than 20 years on the ground, nowhere had our investigators ever seen such conditions of detention as on this mink farm. How can this be tolerated in France by the authorities responsible for the control of standards and regulations that are in force? Faced with the agony of these mink, this breeder was to be denounced as soon as possible. We could not continue the audit without taking immediate action.

The investigation "Respect for minks: the luxury side of mink" actually exceeded the worst!

For more than twenty years we have been denouncing the raising and killing of animals for their fur. Three years ago, our survey showed the situation of mink in these "fur farms" that are also on national territory.

This time, this breeding far exceeds all the revolting elements that we had already highlighted and reported at the time: the crammed conditions of these mink who are confined in such small spaces, they who are usually free and solitary creatures; the wire floors injuring their webbed feet made for swimming and the lack of access to water; food, the infamous porridge placed on the cage and excrement falling to the ground, polluting the  soil and waterways ... Finally, the gassing or poisoning to avoid damaging the coat.

The collateral damage, the deleterious consequences of these American mink that escape from these farms on the local biodiversity. Leading in particular to the disappearance of European mink, justifying alone our requests for prohibition of such farms in France.

Nausea

What the minks experience in this breeding at Eure-et-Loir is appalling! The only prospect for these minks is death in excruciating suffering, to the point of being devoured by their own kind. Barely born, they are already dying, surrounded by corpses at different stages of decomposition, before becoming one themselves... And mothers cannot protect their young from the abominable fate that awaits them. Here the scandal of raising minks for their fur reaches its climax.

This farm must close urgently

We denounce this farm and call for its immediate closure! An expertise in welfare must be carried out with the adoption of emergency measures such as the taking in charge of all of these animals by the State, which has failed in its task by leaving them in such unworthy conditions!

We are lodging a criminal complaint against the breeder, SCEA "Les Aubépines", for acts of cruelty, maltreatment committed by a professional and for improper exploitation of an establishment that holds non domestic animals

Sign our petition to close this breeder down as soon as possible. This horror must stop. Surviving mink need us!

Julia Mothé
Hr blog

In the subject

Hearing on 28 February 2024: One Voice supports the ELLE brand against the furriers' union ba&sh’s animal welfare policy recognised by the Fur Free Retailer programme

Comments 203

I accept that publication of my comments is subject to the code of conduct.

Mandy | Thursday 20 February 2020

Un scandale ! L’humain le regrettera un jour !

Laportej21 | Wednesday 19 February 2020

Je soutiens la petition

Fred89 | Wednesday 19 February 2020

Nauséabond, il n'y pas de nom

Angelaaa | Wednesday 19 February 2020

Stop à toutes les catégories d'élevages.