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Scores of Freed Mink Feed on Farm Animals (Update)
AP ^ | Fri, Aug 29, 2003

Posted on 08/29/2003 9:10:49 AM PDT by presidio9

Days after 10,000 mink were released from a farm in southern Snohomish County, hundreds of the animals not yet captured have converged on local farms in search of food.

The animals had killed at least 25 exotic birds and attacked other livestock in the area.

"Over half our livestock was shredded. Murdered. Eaten alive," said Jeff Weaver, who discovered the dead birds on his farm Thursday. "These are not like regular farm animals. They're our pets."

Weaver, who breeds Indian Runner ducks and Banny chickens, said his field was full of the animals Thursday morning.

"One of the mink had part of a chicken in its mouth and was headed for the creek," he said. "They're starving. They'll kill anything in their path."

The mink also killed Weaver's geese, chicken and ducks, as well as wounded a dog and ate a 50-pound bag of bird feed. With an estimated loss of $2,000, he said he plans to improve fences, set traps and, if necessary, use a shotgun to fend off future assaults.

Diane and Joe Sallee are sealing their chickens in at night after they found the mink had killed six hens and injured several other that had to be euthanized.

"This has just devastated our chicken population. We are just so upset by this," Diane Sallee said. "The people who do these things don't think it through."

Animal activists argue that while the farm animals' deaths are unfortunate, it proves minks raised in captivity can survive in the wild.

"The amount of suffering that has been prevented by releasing them from cramped cages and freeing them from an extremely cruel death more than justifies a temporary disruption to the ecosystem," said veterinarian Andrew Knight, director of research at the Seattle-based Northwest Animal Rights Network.

Owners of the mink farm from which the animals were released estimate about 80 percent of the animals have been captured, leaving more than 1,000 unaccounted for, said Teresa Platt, executive director of Fur Commission USA. The commission is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and convictions of those responsible.

The FBI (news - web sites), which is leading the investigation, suspects an out-of-state group is responsible for the mink release at the Roesler Brothers Fur Farm off U.S. Highway 2.

The Animal Liberation Front, considered a domestic terrorist group by the FBI, has claimed responsibility.

Weaver argues that the group that released the animals didn't think of the repercussions.

"I'm not into anyone running around with fur coats on," he said. "But you cannot let 10,000 semicarnivorous animals out without having serious consequences."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Washington; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alf; animalrights; carlotteross; elf; fur; kimbassinger; lauriedhue; mink; minks; peta
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To: cspackler
Don't worry. I only meant in reference to that particular photo.
61 posted on 08/29/2003 10:47:38 AM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: presidio9
Er, survial of the fittest and natural food chain...
62 posted on 08/29/2003 10:47:59 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn
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To: All
This line in my #17;What about the "suffering" of these blood-thirsty pets, jackass? should have read, "What about the "suffering" of these pets by these blood-thirsty mink, jackass?
63 posted on 08/29/2003 10:49:38 AM PDT by Budge (God Bless FReepers!)
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To: KarlInOhio
Yeah, I had one of those birdseed bags sneak up on me during deer season once...took 3 shots from my .308 to bring it down. I had the bar code mounted and it now sits over the fireplace while I drink scotch in my smoking jacket.

64 posted on 08/29/2003 10:50:13 AM PDT by Gringo1 (Handsome...and now with springtime fresh lemon scent.)
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To: presidio9
This should prove to be a real bonanza for local trappers. Not only are they minks, they're stupid minks.
65 posted on 08/29/2003 10:52:03 AM PDT by Kenton
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To: Eva
Minks have a ten year life span, that's not exactly a temporay disruption.

You're right. That sounds more like a threat.

66 posted on 08/29/2003 10:53:16 AM PDT by Budge (God Bless FReepers!)
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To: Ramius
Or - at the very least - he needs to be watched very closely.
67 posted on 08/29/2003 10:58:36 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: presidio9
10,000 farm raised starving mink on the loose....
these bassturds ought to be staked to the ground and let the mink eat them ...one piece at a time...then they would know some of the suffering they've caused
The arrogance of these little POS ....mink are raiding farms and killing domestic animals and pets...and that proves they can live in the wild??? hello you morons...
They are supposed to eat mice, fish and birds in the wild ...and there arent supposed to be many of them...concentrated in one area...
They should be very easy to trap however...
68 posted on 08/29/2003 10:59:28 AM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: Eva
Minks have a ten year life span, that's not exactly a temporay disruption.

And don't they multiply like crazy?

69 posted on 08/29/2003 11:00:00 AM PDT by auboy
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To: presidio9
You, sir, are worse than Hitler.

It's about time someone around here recognized my greatness.

70 posted on 08/29/2003 11:00:37 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (...and Freedom tastes of Reality.)
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To: ClearCase_guy
I'm also all for temporary disruptions to the ecosystem that might result from tarring and feathering several prominent lib/dems.
71 posted on 08/29/2003 11:02:40 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: Myrddin
The animal activists should be locked in a barn with hundreds of starving mink. The consequences would be fully justified.

That bears repeating. And when the screaming stops, torch the barn. All on PPV, with the proceeds used to hunt down the rest of the Animal Liberation Front weasels nutjobs.

72 posted on 08/29/2003 11:08:20 AM PDT by auboy
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To: Eva
Minks have a ten year life span, that's not exactly a temporay disruption.


With a thousand on the loose in close proximity they'll likely breed many more thousands before dying of old age. I'd bet they're a permanent addition to the ecosystem there unless some serious trapping is done ASAP.
73 posted on 08/29/2003 11:11:29 AM PDT by Tunehead54 (Taglines incorporated by reference: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/860760/posts (';-)
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To: auboy
two - ten baby minks to a litter, but I don't know how long the gestation period is, not long, I would imagine.
74 posted on 08/29/2003 11:26:44 AM PDT by Eva
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To: Tunehead54
I don't know much about "ranch raised" mink but I would guess they have been bred for fast growth and maximum size.

I do know that mink are one of the most blood thirsty critters there is and often will kill just to kill.

If many of the released mink manage to raise young in the wild,that area could end up with a population of oversized mink.Not a good thing for any of the small critters in the neighborhood.

75 posted on 08/29/2003 11:50:36 AM PDT by Free Trapper
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To: AnnaZ; diotima; HangFire
Another stupid Animal Rights activist story....


I may have to take a road trip....it seems to be mink season!
I will kill me a new coat!
76 posted on 08/29/2003 12:03:44 PM PDT by Feiny (Courtesy is not a sign of weakness.)
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To: Restorer
My Ferret loved peanut butter and marshmallows.
77 posted on 08/29/2003 1:08:06 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (This space to let.)
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To: presidio9; AAABEST; Ace2U; Alamo-Girl; Alas; amom; AndreaZingg; Anonymous2; ApesForEvolution; ...
Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.

78 posted on 08/29/2003 1:17:27 PM PDT by farmfriend ( Isaiah 55:10,11)
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To: farmfriend
BTTT!!!!!
79 posted on 08/29/2003 1:27:28 PM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: Gringo1; KarlInOhio
ROFL to both of you!!!
80 posted on 08/29/2003 1:29:31 PM PDT by stands2reason
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