Mink farms in this post I will prove that in mink farms no animals are skinned alive.
Mink Farms: As I already told you in the previous post, some days ago in Hedensted, in Denmark, the FURBAZAAR team took me to visit the mink farm belonging to Tage Pedersen Chairman of of the Board of Kopenhagen Fur and President of all mink farms: this mink farm is Danish excellence.
I really care about writing this post because I am fed up with seeing unrealistic videos regarding our sector that portray suffering animals being skinned alive.
The animals are not skinned alive.
IT CAN BE AND HAS BEEN PROVED!
The videos that you see on YouTube are false! They have been created to appeal to your sensitivity. I will probably lose a lot facing this subject: I will be criticized by all those who hate fur, fashion brands will not want to collaborate with me because I deal with these themes etc…but I HAVE to and I WANT to.
Let me explain in a simple and logical way why it is impossible that the animals are skinned alive.
First it wouldn’t be so simple for a man to actually do that, minks are robust and carnivorous. Second, skinning would irreparably ruin the skin because the pain it provoked would make the animal’s hair stand on end and go hard, making it lose its value.
Let me explain better the concept of “losing value”.
Once obtained, the skins are divided according to quality and then sent to the auctions that make further selections in their turn. Auctions like Kopenhagen Fur only accept quality furs, that is furs that come from animals who have not suffered.
To be quoted on the market furs must be perfect, intact, silky, without bites, bright, busy, soft….shiny.
For minks having beautiful fur is like for us having beautiful skin and hair.
Think about it: when do you have beautiful hair and skin? When you are not stressed, you eat well and you lead a healthy life…this is just what minks do.
If farmers skinned animals alive it would just cause damage: the auctions would certainly not accept their skins that would remain unsold losing in this way a life’s work.
Moreover I think that designers must have in tact furs and not fur rags, if not how would they make up their garments? Personally I have never seen skin coming from an animal that has been skinned alive but I am sure that it couldn’t be a complete piece: it would certainly have cuts if not worse, and would make it impossible to use.
It’s true not all mink farms are beautiful, clean, quality, surrounded by nature like the one I saw. But I assure you that most farmers have to respect our sector’s strict rules, if not they would lose out too.
Certainly in China the animals are mot treated well like in Finland, Denmark or Italy…not everyone respects the laws but the IFF is working to improve the situation.
At the mink farm
In Tage Pedersen’s big farm I saw male and female blackcross minks together in a cage. BEAUTIFUL.
I already knew that farmers paid great attention to looking after their minks but I absolutely didn’t think they ate what I saw:
First quality salmon fillets, herrings, finely minced fruit and vegetables mixed with vitamins and protein. The fresh food is frozen as soon as it has been prepared, to be transported to the farms. It must arrive fresh and be given twice a day. As well as being highly nutritious it is also fit for human consumption.
Needless to say the minks also undergo periodical medical check ups.
I would like to add that once the skins have been obtained the minks are reused for making pet and animal food.
I had already visited a mink farm with Kopenhagen Fur last May. Here is the video.
Tage Pedersen’s farm is always open to the public because they particularly care about showing how minks are raised. This really is an example of a farms <3
Without wanting to polemicise but just to be precise: before attacking my sector (fur) stop to think about what you have in your plate, how MCDonalds animals grow, how creams, drugs, make up is tested. Everything you wear – shoes, belts, bags, coats, everything comes from animals and even if in some sectors animals grow well and in good health, in others no one cares how they are psychologically because the important thing is to test, or obtain mest that will then be over processed etc etc
I do not normally attack other sectors because everywhere there are those who respect the rules and those who don’t…who pays taxes and who evades….That’s how the world goes. You can never generalize.
Kopenhagen Fur is a sign of guarantee. When you buy furs check that is has a label of origin. If it comes from KF you can be sure that your fur comes from animals who have not suffered.
Four reason of why animals cannot be skinned alive
Animals are always euthanised humanely before their furs are harvested. Not only is it better for the animal, it also makes more sense! Here are four reasons why:
1. The Inhumanity
Fur farmers take great pride in what they do and in the way they treat their animals. Each is treated with respect. After all, the animals they breed are their livelihood: the only way to produce high quality mink or fur is to nourish and care for them. It wouldn’t make sense to treat them badly!
What’s more it is illegal. It is illegal to cause unnecessary harm and suffering to an animal. Why would any fur farmer risk their license by breaking the law? No fur farmer would ever skin an animal alive.
2. The Risks to the Operator
Don’t believe that fur farmers care for their animals? Then surely you believe they care for themselves! A live animal will fight and move, putting the farmer at risk of being bitten, scratched or cut with his own knife.
These animals carry risk of infection or disease transmission.Why would anyone put themselves through that for no good reason? More evidence that the idea of animals being skinned alive is a myth!
3. The Inefficiency
If you were being paid for every piece you produced, would you work quickly or slowly? Efficiency is essential in every business, particularly in fur farming. It is much faster to skin an animal that has been euthanised. And the more furs you have each day, the more money you’ll make.
Would you skin an animal alive if it were your business? Neither would we!
4. Damaged Furs
Finally, trying to skin a live animal would cause horrible damage to the fur. Nicks, stained and poor quality would all affect the fur you produce, and the amount you could make from it.
The international fur market is incredibly competitive and only the best quality furs make the great (and the cash). Even if a fur farmer had no humanity, why would he deliberately spoil his product? It simply doesn’t make sense.
Samantha
Great article! Go on Samantha!
Thank you =)
What a wonderful experience!