2,000 mink released in Wisconsin, latest in major ALF campaign
The eighth US fur farm raid since July sees 2,000 mink freed from a farm in New Holstein, Wisconsin.
Early Saturday, a driver called police to report mink on the road near Bonlander Furs, a mink farm in New Holstein, Wisconsin. Cages had been opened and 2,000 of the farm’s reported 5,000 mink had been released.
Aerial view of the fur farm
The farm’s owner describes the activist’s methods:
“Whoever did it wrecked some of the latches on the cages, the wires were bent way over and some of the boxes were thrown out on the ground.”
This marks the 100th (known) release of animals from a fur farm since the Animal Liberation Front officially began it’s fur farm campaign in 1995 (a single release of foxes was reported in Oregon in 1986, before this tactic was widespread).
The farm makes the unlikely claim that 1500 of the mink have been recaptured as of Saturday evening.
The ALF targeting newly-discovered farms
The ALF appears to be targeting newly discovered farms, with six of the eight farms visited this summer having been made public in the last two years.
The address for Bonlander Furs was first made public in 2012, after a list of 60 previously unknown fur farms surfaced. Sites like Coalition Against Fur Farms and Final Nail track changes in the fur industry, including posting addresses of farms as they become known.
Liberators return to the largest fur farming state
Wisconsin is largest fur farming state in the US, killing over 1 million mink annually. This raid is the first release of animals in the state in nearly 15 years.
The last recorded fur farm rescue occurred in 1999, when the Animal Liberation Front released 2,500 mink from the Gene Meyer mink farm in Plymouth, Wisconsin. The same night, United Feeds – a major feed supplier located just up the road – was burned down. After the raid, Gene Meyer announced the raid had shut down his operation. (Anonymous activists confirmed this claim in a visit to the farm in 2009.)
Major siege underway
Eight fur farms have been hit and over 10,000 animals released since July – a level of activity not seen since the late-90s.
If this momentum is maintained, it could threaten the very existence of the US fur industry and finish it off forever.
I love all you guys so much!!!! It makes me cry, and jump up and down at the same time, when I see these FUCKING CAGES GETTING SMASHED!!!!!
i know these fur farms are evil
Our country was founded on hunting, fishing and fur trading and the tradition continues. This is not a hobby, it’s a way of life, Bill. Deal with it! I bet you live in a house that was made of materials that wildlife once called their home. Probably in a subdivision where they smashed down the forest so you could have a happy slumber in Ignorantville. I suppose you don’t eat either? You so called vegans still indirectly kill animals with everything you do. Do you have a job? Trapping season starts here in just a couple weeks. Those mink will just end up being trapped and killed anyway. If not, the do not have the skills to survive in the wild. All releasing them does is make them suffer long and grueling deaths. So, hurray for ALF for making all those mink suffer. Must be proud. Makes me cry and jump up and down like a Cro-Magnon man!!!
wow, Paul wins the award for most clueless ramble on a website I’ve seen all month. Our country was also founded on slavery, Einstein, so you support that too, huh? Not cool. Pedophilia is also “a way of life” so there’s another thing you’re into, huh? So far you suck. Let’s see, what else… oh yeah, lol, comparing not trapping animals to living in a house instead of in the elements…. yes, that is a PERFECTLY valid comparison. And you’re right, we “so-called vegans” indirectly kill, like when we step on an ant while walking in our yard…. so we might as well start paying people to slaughter cows and start raping kids and kill some people, since we are, after all, indirectly hurting SOME animal by existing. You’re right about them suffering more living out in the wild (god knows why they’re born in the wild anyway, right??? so cruel!) than in a rusty metal cage being fed scraps and then electrocuted or skinned alive. Paul, I think I can see why you are a trapper and not, say, a doctor or teacher or rocket scientist…. good luck to you, buddy.
@Sue: thank you for kicking back to Paul!
Oh, for gawds sake Paul. Are you still hunting and trapping to survive? This s the 21st century already and we are supposed to progress to a more enlightened existence….unless, of course, some are unable to get past living in a cave.
And the animals belong to all of us, not just the ones with money to use the animals for gain.
Dittos for the post about dogs and cats in Korea. And how bout the kitties being tortured in labs so the … researchers (?) can validate their paychecks! Losers.
Donna
Animals do not belong to us.
Paul, The basic needs you mention here like hunting for food (for food, alone. . not for sport), or using materials from the environment to live, is very different than why animals are raised en mass on fur farms.
Unless you are an Eskimo, there is no NEED to wear fur except for vanity’s sake. Why does a Hollywood celeb need to wear mink in our hot climate?
The horrendous living conditions and even more horrendous killing methods of animals raised for fur are also never warranted. This is a far cry from a farmer or hunter that raises or hunts food just to feed his family. A good hunter only kills what he needs to live and does so quickly and humanely.
I too agree with you the minks not being able to survive out there . . . these were basically domestic animals left to fend for themselves in the wild.
HOwever, you must understand that this was a protest action against a totally unnecessary and extremely cruel industry. Sometimes extreme actions are needed to make a point. Sadly the minks will pay the price . . . in either case.
No one gave these farmers power over these animals. They have no right to exploit and torture them for profit. I wish I won a 300 million dollar lottery because I would give you money.
GREAT JOB!!! KEEP IT UP! You are the Animals Heros!
Shivers in the dark, light forma the movement in all the world !!!!!
Wawoo —You are soo awesome …..sorry to Ask Yu thi —–The Doggies @ Cats In Korea..@ china” I know –It wouold be A darn) Big Job..@ One wouod nneed t Understand hementality of These Ignorant Asias”..They Can be t0tally Hearless..@ have “no problem” being violent I’m not from There But wrking at te hospital here encountered 2 patients from Vietnam who were part of Smugging ring …These Are not Intouch with themselves at all so ….So a lt of Us Want someone o Free The Beloved Doggies @ Cas –who are suffering @ Brave bout it…Seeing what they endure Ripps the heart We wish that those horrible place Be Burnt to th grownd ..Doggies saved @ Taken awa frm These hells on earth..Thank You sweties..Dear Animall Libeatin —You are wonderfull..Love.
Way to go ALF. Keep up the good work.
mink belongs on the animal not on a human…its all about the money…they don’t care about the animals…glad they got released but sad that they got recaptured…
Mink are wild creatures, Why can’t they
Be left alone to live their life in the wild,
The way it was ment to be. Shame on those
Who’s greed is greater than their compassion.
Run free little creatures! Run free!!
Those stupid bolanders should be arrested for animal cruelty and exploitation.
They recovered 3/4 of the mink? That means 1/4 are at large. Wish there were a way to keep all the mink at large.
That woman said whoever released them had to be “out of their minds”. She’s one to talk. She’s sadistic.
Thank God for you guys. Heroes! we love you. Take care of yourselves.
I really love and totally support the work you guys do!!!!
Love all those guys too….also hope the cages get smashed!!
So did anyone think about the impact on the local ecosystem due to that many mink being released at once?
Go little mink go. There are so compassionate people in this world & they are not the murdering mink farmers. Brilliant work guys who ever you are, I admire your guts & courage.
actions speak louder than words….love you guys and girls…I wish there would be more of you….
Thumbs up for ALF! Too bad trapping is still a blood sport and practiced in this country. The term “like for like” comes to mind when I think of the suffering inflicted on little creatures of all kinds.
Perhaps you should consider the Karma that will come to you when you are old, and defenseless…..I wouldnt want to be facing that payback…..Karma can be a real b***h;)
Hurray for the noble army!
Donna
… a definite is … to kill is to die. to kill for “money” or power is to be dead. there is a term – ahimsa – a term well misunderstood in this world. all sentient beings have the right (not granted. given) to live their lives. slaughter in any way / shape or form is just th@. people do equate income of “money” as survival. yes. yet to survive without taking another beings life is the aim. there is a fence separating kill / not kill. some people kill some have others kill for them – some do not kill. all sentient beings have the right to continue their lives with their families. is th@ not what human families seek ? abolition begins in the individual heart & mind. as gandhi said – be the change. ^ Power ^ Up ^ for those who choose to light the candle in the darkness of murder. this struggle is worldwide. make no mistake @ th@.
ok you dumb shits listen now you let these mink go lets look at this closely. one you let a pen raised animal into the wild sentencing them to death do you really think they will make it and just automatically become wild again???? , and two the ones that do will ruin the eco system by consuming all the secondary food supply, ( RABBITS , BIRDS , ETC.) BECAUSE YOU JUST LIKE A DUMBASS OVErLOADED THE SYSTEM. so you are the murderers , you sentenced all the rabbits and other non predatory animals in that eco system to death. also trespassing will hopefully get you shot…..
Well said, Sue!
Well said, Otis!
I love what these guys are doing! I wish I could be apart of it! “Major siege underway
Eight fur farms have been hit and over 10,000 animals released since July – a level of activity not seen since the late-90s.
If this momentum is maintained, it could threaten the very existence of the US fur industry and finish it off forever.”
KEEP THIS UP!!!! I SUPPORT YOU!!!!!