Breaking: Two Arrested For Attempted Break-In at Iowa Fur Farm
Two arrested attempting to break into a Sioux City, Iowa mink and fox farm
Updated 12:20pm with jail address to send letters of support
Little information is available, but local media is reporting two “animal activists” have been arrested at a fur farm in Sioux City, Iowa. The arrests were made October 10th, just three days after 1,200 mink were released from the Palmer Erickson fur farm in Jewell, Iowa, approximately 3 hours away.
Arrested were Kellie Marshall, 29, and Victor Vandoren, 24, both of Austin, Texas.
Police captured the pair after they allegedly cut into a fence and “tried to free some of the animals” at the fur farm. Police used a K-9 dog and discovered the two dressed in black. They were charged with 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief, Attempted Burglary and Possession of Burglary Tools.
Although the media has not yet named the farm, I know from personal experience the farm in question is the Circle K Fur Farm. I was charged for the release of 5,000 mink and 100 fox from the same farm in 1998. These are the details of the farm, from The Blueprint fur farm list:
Circle K Fur Farm
3701 Memorial Drive
Sioux City, IA 51104
Phone: (712) 252-2202
Owner: Steven Krage
Status: Confirmed open, 2009.
Species: Mink & fox.
Notes: Approximately 5,000 mink & 100 fox.
Strangely, the arrests of October 10th have received very little attention in the media (as of this writing), and the event somehow escaped mention in the media entirely until a full three days after the incident.
Letters of support
Letters of support and donation for their commissary fund can be sent to:
Kellie Marshall / Victor Vandoren
Woodbury County Jail
PO Box 3083
Sioux City, Iowa 51102
Letters must have a return address. Please write them letters of support today, and let them know the outside world knows they are in jail and are supported.
– Peter Young
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It is really not that odd that the media didn’t latch on to this. Outside of the animal rights world and people who are concerned about being targeted by the ALF, a criminal mischief and attempted burglary case is not particularly newsworthy. As there are many burglary attempts in any given day, the local media can’t really be expected to look into each one. This probably waited around till a slow news day when a reporter was chatting with a cop and heard about this really wacky thing that happened the other day. Hopefully, the two who were arrested will learn something from this and be deterred from releasing thousands of predators to wreak havoc on the local ecosystem, spread disease and for the most part die of starvation. While it might have been a quick and easy way to feel good about yourself, these releases do virtually nothing to damage the fur trade and in fact hinder your cause by making you look like a bunch of nuts. Are the trust fund kids of the ALF resisting working toward real change on the issues they believe in because they are lazy or because they are wedded to this “revolutionary” image? Engaging people from other walks of life in conversation and working to pass animal welfare legislation may take a lot of work and may even require you to wear a tie, but will have a degree of impact that is orders of magnitude higher than just vandalizing a fur farm.
W, how many lives have you saved wearing a tie?
good thing most ALF actions go uncaught… this one seems like an exception. surprised they aren’t getting AETA charges?
Is there a bail fund for these two? I’d like to Contribute $500.
It sounds to me that w is either extremely naive or really really stupid, if they think that working to pass “animal welfare” laws is actually going to result in any tangible steps towards animal liberation. For the sake of argument, even if animal welfare legislation was effective in the long run; it still would have done nothing in the immediate for those animals on that farm. Direct action is the only thing that will save the When you place “following the law” above saving the live of sentient animals you are engaging in blatant speciesism.
correction it should say “Direct action is the only thing that will save the animals imprisoned on these farms”
Direct action is definitely an essential part of change (not ‘animal welfare’ laws). However even if you get rid of 2 farms some people will open 3 more. Even if you shut down one lab there will be more labs. As long as it is profitable to use animals they will be out there. There’s no way you can shut down all of them using a direct action. What we need is the change of the current system based on animal and human exploitation (capitalism). We need to put in an alternative system in place (direct democracy) and we need to go global with it as capitalism is global. Once we are able to participate in making decisions we can sufficiently try stop animal exploitation wherever it is possible. We can influence society with animal friendly policies. In my opinion we need to be “decision-makers” to have a real impact on the fate of the animals. The right to protest means nothing if we can’t make decisions. Direct action (only) won’t work in long term if this system is still out there.
Solidarity with those arrested.
To Eric (and anyone else who wants to donate): if you want to donate to these prisoners, please take a look at the website of Negotiation Is Over : http://www.negotiationisover.net/2011/10/14/breaking-two-arrested-for-attempted-break-in-at-iowa-fur-farm/
At the top right side you can see a DONATE button.
Use this to donate money for the inmates and please notice the following: since NIO gets contributions for several different funds, please SPECIFY to whom your donation should be directed, so in your case Kellie Marshall and Victor Vandoren.
If you have any questions left, please don’t hesitate to ask them!
On behalf of the ARA – Prisoners, THANK YOU!
Releasing these animals might seem like a good and worthwhile project and I know many are applauding their actions. However this is NOT good news for the native wildlife (rodents, reptiles, birds) that will be obliterated by the sudden influx of foreign predators. The balance will be severely upset also the mink will have a hard time finding food this winter and will probably die slowly of starvation.
Not a well thought out plan at all.
“W” is wrong….we all know it. Animal abuse, torture, and murder would have ended LONG ago if creating laws were that easy. The right people don’t care and there is LOTS of MONEY involved as well as the demand for it. It just goes on and on and on….every day, every week, every month, every year. No end in sight, economic sabatoge is necessary and it works! If some re-build, (and they do) they should be targeted over and over until they fall.
I understand what these people are trying to do…liberating these animals. BUT… I live in Jewell, Ia. where 1200-1500 mink were released a week ago and one of the little black minks came up on my porch last night and was eating cat food that I leave out for the homeless cats. Now, what is more cruel…. letting them go?? They don’t quite know where to get food or what to do in the wild… I presume. ??? Our town is about a mile or two from the farm where they were ‘liberated’… I now feel sorry for the little critters looking for food, etc. Was this such a good idea???
Correction:
Kellie is 21, not 29.
I am so sorry that these two got caught trying to ibate innocent animals that have no voice when it comes to human greed exploiting animals. Only humans do this to another species. Yes it is rough on these little guys that have been released. If I lived in the area and had some of them come to my house to look for food sitting out for my pets, I wold continue to see that they were fed and protected. This is the least I could do in stopping the fur industry for vain people who think wearing the skins and fur of these animals make them look good. Actually one day these people will realize the cruelty that they are contributing to by wearing furs. I will not stop attempting to get these farms to shut down and find another way to make money. I would love the privilege of setting up a refuge for these minks who are foraging for themselves. At least they will not be skinned alive. If there is anyone in the area willing to set up a refuge for those that show up, more will come which will be a plus both for them and the surrounding environment. I honestly hope someone will consider doing this.
Don’t know where y’all got your info, but the minks in these farms are NOT skinned alive. It would behoove you to research the truth before regurgitating the same old tired lies. The only thing these idiots accomplished was to set loose all those animals when they have no clue how to fend for themselves and upsetting the balance of the local ecosystem. Winter will be coming on soon and we have severe winters here in Iowa. Those released mink will die a slow and agonizing death by starvation and dehydration or will end up as lunch for one of our resident coyotes, bobcats, etc. Don’t bet on those boys getting out of jail anytime soon…..from what I understand, the FBI has already been involved as they were caught with a tazer along with their burglary tools (hence the weapons charges). And for those of you who are wondering….the story probably wasn’t given to the press until after the FBI got done with their investigation. Now, I’m hearing that animals from a zoo in Ohio have been let loose……way to endanger the public…..children even!