![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The Myrhes have operated their farm for more than 50 years, and have faced little or no local opposition, Amazi said. They sit by their pens and the ALF people kick them out." These animals have had a lot of their wildlife instincts bred out of them: Most of them don't even leave the area when they're released. "They've been through an extremely traumatic experience many of them die of stress. Whelan, "is devastated right now, working hard to get his mink in shape, Myrhe said. We've had cases where hundreds of these animals have just been squished on the highway." "They die on the road, because they're attracted to traffic. "Thousands of these animals die painfully and suffering most die of dehydration within 24 hours," Whelan said. Michael Whelan, executive director of Fur Commission USA, said his trade group is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those behind the activist campaign, which he believes are carried out by independent cells of ALF. In the weeks prior, additional animals have been set free from farms in Idaho, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Montana and Utah.Īnimal Liberation Front has taken credit for three of the incidents, while the rest have gone either unclaimed, or were claimed without naming a group affiliation. By the afternoon, about 1,500 had been captured. One of the farm's owners, Virginia Bonlander, said about 100 family, friends and other mink farmers helped locate the mink in traps and by hand Saturday. The crime falls under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.įriday night, 2,000 mink were released from cages at Bonlander Furs in New Holstein, Wis. Her office is investigating, and the FBI and Fur Commission USA, which represents mink farmers, are also involved. "Rather than a humane harvest, they die of starvation, or get hit by a car or get eaten by something else," Amazi said. The mink that aren't recovered aren't likely to live. The farm is about 25 miles southwest of Rochester. All but about 60 were returned to the farm by Tuesday afternoon thanks to the efforts of family, friends and deputies. Myhre called law enforcement immediately, the sheriff said. With a value of about $100 per head, it can be a lucrative business - and a devastating loss. Myhre has not returned repeated phone messages.Įach building houses about 500 mink Myhre has five or six buildings on the farm, Amazi said. ![]()
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