On August 29, 2015, Ongehoord published shocking images from mink farms. The photos and videos reveal animals with large flesh wounds, gnawed tails, infections, and minks displaying stereotypical behavior. This investigation shows that fur farmers have not given an honest view of their industry.
For years, people could only view the show farm in Ederveen or visit during a carefully planned open house. It wasn't until the Ongehoord investigation team made an unannounced visit to the mink farm that the conditions in which these animals are kept became clear.
Mink farming has faced criticism in the Netherlands for years. To avoid a potential ban, Dutch mink farmers operate farms across Europe. An investigation shows that the Dutch own 44 farms in 13 different countries. Animal welfare organizations from Poland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands have shared images highlighting the suffering of animals on these farms. This international investigation is available at www.dutchfur.nl. Tusti Narvai (Lithuania), Otwarte Klatki (Poland), and Ongehoord (Netherlands) worked together to map Dutch mink farms. Their findings revealed that minks endure terrible conditions. Animal rights activists visited Dutch-owned farms in various countries, filming the minks' living environments. They observed little difference across locations: many minks had wounds, dead minks were found in wire cages, and some animals displayed repetitive movements due to boredom and frustration. It's clear why the Netherlands attempted to ban mink farming.
Fur farmers often claim that a ban in the Netherlands would simply shift farms to other countries. They argue that animals in Spain or Poland face worse treatment than those in the Netherlands. However, this website demonstrates that minks in the Netherlands are at least as poorly treated as their counterparts in Eastern Europe. Therefore, it's not accurate to say that banning mink farming would harm the animals more.
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