Since June 5, nearly 600,000 of the 800,000 mink in the Netherlands have been killed-suffocated by carbon monoxide gas-to help control the spread of the virus, according to Fur Europe, a Brussels-based industry group that represents fur farmers and manufacturers. The timeline for the updated closure has not been determined, nor has the rate of compensation due to producers, but animal welfare groups expect the shutdown will occur by the end of the year. On Tuesday, parliament voted to cease mink breeding imminently and provide compensation to fur farmers. Two findings-rising rates of infection among mink at Dutch fur farms and the discovery that the animals may have transmitted the virus to two farm employees-have forced the Netherlands to speed up existing plans for ending its mink industry in 2024.
One of the world’s top mink-producing countries is shutting down the industry as a result of COVID-19.
