Communique: Largest Mink Liberation In US History
Original ALF communique taking credit for the largest ever mink release.
Part eighteen in a thirty-article series this month on the ALF’s fur farm campaign.
In September 2001, the Animal Liberation Front broke all records, releasing 14,000 mink from the Drewelow & Son’s Mink Farm in New Hampton, Iowa. This action holds the record as the largest fur farm raid in US history.
Although ever cage at the farm was opened, and losses were estimated at over $400,000, all evidence is that the raid did not shut down this farm. There is some evidence this farm remained open as of the mid-2000s, however there has not been any verifiable information as to the farm’s status in recent years.
The night after this raid, 215 pigeons were liberated from a vivisection breeder across the state, in Glenwood, Iowa.
The action also came a week after 179 birds were liberated from a toxicology lab in Wellington, Colorado.
The communique reads, in full:
“The Animal Liberation Front is claiming responsibility for the largest liberation of animals in history – the release of 14,000 mink from the Earl Drewelow & Son’s Mink Farm, 2477 239th St, New Hampton IA; during the early morning hours of September 7th, 2000.
Handheld cutting tools were used to strip away two entire sides of the farm’s fencing, giving the mink an escape route. Inside the sheds we found a horrific scene – thousands of mink crammed 2-3 to a tiny wire cage, waiting to die in a mess of waste and cobwebs. Any attempt by the fur industry to dismiss the Drewelow & Son’s Fur Farm as an isolated example should be considered a lie. The A.L.F. know from experience these conditions to be the industry standard. Ever cage was opened and 14,000 mink released to freedom.
The fur industry will be quick to respond to this beautiful act of compassion with baseless cookie-cutter form responses, in an attempt to discredit our actions and divert attention away from their sadistic industry. These standard lies from the mouths of murderers will be preemptively rebutted here:
Lie #1: “The mink will be hit by cars” – The absurdity of this statement is that before liberation, death was 100% certain. Every animal on the farm was bred to die. While it is true a small number may be hit by cars, most will not, and if nothing else they have been given a chance a freedom.
Lie #2: Mink are domestic and cannot survive in the wild” – Mink are in fact only one or two generation removed from their wild cousins and have not yet had their wild instincts bred out. The “Mink Rehabilitation Project” led by convicted A.L.F. liberator Rod Coronado proved this a decade ago. Mink legally purchased from a fur farm were released into the wild and shown through observation to retain natural survival instincts and thrive in the wild after a lifetime in a cage.
Lie #3: “Most of the mink were recaptured” – Mink travel several miles a day. Most mink had disperesed into the surrounding fields before the liberation was complete. A few may be recaptured, but only a handful. Our hearts go out to those few recaptured who were given a shot at life and now have only suffering ahead.
Lie #4: “The A.L.F. are terrorists” – Every action carried out by the Animal Liberation Front is an act of compassion, with the only intent to save the lives of sentient creatures. These actions are carried out with no benefit to ourselves, except peace of mind knowing we have done all we can to rescue animals from the torture chambers and concentration camps of the meat, dairy, egg, fur and animal research industries. Their freedom is our victory.
We break the law in adherence to a higher law – one which states animals are not commodities, not objects, but sentient creatures with a right to live. We will fight for the lives of these animals as if they were our own.
Animal murderers beware – the A.L.F. is watching and there is no place to hide…”
This is the eighteenth of 30 articles I will be posting in December on the ALF’s fur farm campaign. Sign up for the email list to get every update sent to your inbox, or check back daily.
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