Minks and other fur-mining animals are usually kept in tight wire cages. Many do not have enough room to turn around or even fully stretch out, and the conditions in which they are forced to live are dire. As a result of severe stress, animals on fur farms often resort to self-harm or cannibalization of their cage mates. Injured animals in the fur industry usually do not receive veterinary care. Unsurprisingly, these dire conditions on fur farms have led to an increase in countries with COVID-19 mink outbreaks. This new deadly threat is just another reason PETA and compassionate people around the world are calling for an immediate end to the global fur trade.
The following countries have reported COVID-19 outbreaks on mink farms:
Ireland as a precaution, minks were slaughtered en masse.
COVID-19 and other diseases thrive in fur farms
It’s not just a new coronavirus – foxes, raccoon dogs and minks can infect a wide variety of pathogens. Some of the diseases they cause, including tularemia, hepatitis E and influenza, are zoonotic, which means they can result from the transmission of pathogens from animals to humans.
Hepatitis E, a viral disease, can cause swelling and liver damage, jaundice, and lack of appetite in humans. Tularemia is a bacterial disease that usually affects fur workers – even a small amount of bacteria can cause potentially fatal infections.
Any The industry in which humans handle animals poses the risk of animal-to-human transmission of a newly developed virus or disease outbreaks. We must end animal farming for the sake of animals, people and our planet.
What can you do to help
It’s quick and easy to join PETA’s efforts to prevent fur from killing minks and other animals – all you have to do is convince brands to stop selling it! Hundreds of thousands of people have already answered the call.
It only takes a minute to send multiple messages to retailers and designers, so what are you waiting for? To begin:
Take action now!