Most were recovered, but many of the kits (baby minks) will die as a result of being separated from their mothers.
“We are shocked that any person or group would commit such a cruel and irresponsible act. Most of these mink were nursing females; their newborn kits are all under two weeks old – some are only days old -- they are completely dependent on their mothers for warmth and frequent feeding at this stage and many will die,” said CMBA president Marianne Patten in a press release.”
This isn’t the first incident to take place at a mink farm.
Last July, about 300 minks were released from a farm on Jones Baseline in Guelph and another 6,800 were released from a farm near St. Mary’s.
In the CMBA release, Kirk Rankin, a mink farmer and former organization president, called the act “despicable and irresponsible,” saying the ones that survive put domesticated ducks or chickens in danger.
“Releasing nursing females is cruel and just plain stupid.”