Canadian Mink producers have increased the award for information leading to the conviction of extremists breaking into Perth County farms.
The $75,000 reward has been increased to 100,000 by the Canada Mink Breeders Association
this after 6000 young mink were released from a second St. Marys area farm the night of July 8.
This is on top of an similar incident May 31st. In that attack, nursing female mink were released, resulting in the death of many helpless young kits.
“The people who did this should be charged with animal cruelty,” said Gary Hazlewood, executive director of the Canada Mink Breeders Association.
“It may be time to consider much more serious penalties for people who invade farms for ideological purposes, like they have done in the United States,” said Hazlewood, a former mink farmer himself. “It’s despicable that anyone would make animals suffer in this way just to further their own political agenda.”
“These arrogant crusaders claim their criminal activity is justified by their opposition to using animals for any purpose, but their irresponsible action shows a shocking disregard for the welfare of both people and animals,” says Kirk Rankin, owner of the farm targeted in the most recent attack and president of the Canada Mink Breeders Association.
“Most of the mink released are barely two months old. These are farm-raised animals that are not equipped to fend for themselves. Because they are so young, most didn’t go very far, but any that we cannot rescue quickly are likely to die of dehydration or be run over by cars,” said Rankin, who thanked neighbours for help in rescuing hundreds of disoriented mink.
“We know there is a small segment of extremists who want to put us out of business, but, honestly, how could anyone be so ignorant or heartless as to release two-month old animals,” he said.
“Although many mink are being recovered, many may still become sick and die in the coming days because of the stress they have been subjected to,” said Hazlewood, who lives in the region.
“If you don’t want to wear fur, that’s fine, don’t buy it, but that doesn’t give you the right to dictate how everyone else should live; it doesn’t give you the right to break into people’s homes and terrorize farm families,” said Rankin.
“What kind of society would this be if everyone took the law into their own hands to impose their own views on others?”
