Opinion: There's a lack of political courage and will to shut down mink farming in Denmark
Written by: Valentina Crast
Note: This is an opinion piece expressing the author's personal views.
Denmark’s caged mink industry is the clearest, most painful proof of our parliamentarians’ lack of will, courage, and ability to protect our earth, society, and animal life.
Denmark’s deep roots in traditional, industrial agriculture block parliament from decisive political action and the urgent green transition. Politicians all claim to care about climate change — but the revival of mink farming proves they’re just playing for show.
Politicians pay no price — but animals do
You don’t have to look far to find elected officials who say they oppose fur farming — yet no political action follows. It has become cost-free for politicians to voice support for a fur farm ban in Denmark while doing nothing. Cost-free for them, but not for the animals, public health, or taxpayers. Despite clear reasons to shut down a marginalized and dying sector, our politicians cannot commit to a permanent closure — even after mink cages have been empty for two years and Kopenhagen Fur shut down. Meanwhile, as COVID is detected in mink farms in Italy, Danish politicians are greenlighting imports of new mink to the last stubborn Danish fur farmers, allowing abuse to continue and keeping alive the risk of future coronavirus mutations on farms. Currently in Denmark, there are 100 businesses confining fur-bearing animals in tiny wire cages only to strip their pelts for overpriced, fragile coats and hair accessories abroad: 19 mink farmers and 39 chinchilla farmers. Fewer than 25 have fur farming as their primary occupation. For most registered breeders, fur farming is just a hobby.
This means we have chosen to revive and protect a system that systematically and fundamentally torments animals, pollutes nature, and threatens public health — all because politicians won’t confront 25 people’s right to run an unethical and harmful business.
“Fewer than 25 have fur farming as their primary occupation. For most registered breeders, fur farming is just a hobby.”
A quick glance at a Europe map highlighting countries that have banned and phased out fur farming exposes Denmark for what it has become: a nation exploiting and torturing animals for profit, stubbornly refusing to evolve even as the world empties cages and passes new legislation. Denmark appears to share values on animal rights with Russia and China. This harsh realization hurts.
Now is the perfect time to end fur farming
We’ve reached a point where public health is threatened, and the response was a panicked mass killing of 17 million mink—costing taxpayers 19 billion kroner and ending with a government invitation to restart the industry. It sounds like a script from the most absurd Monty Python film. It should not be a proud item on any politician’s recent record. Fur farmers’ anger over the government’s handling of infections and some cases of fraud with euthanasia and compensation rightly raise concern that among the stubborn survivors, some may blatantly ignore established guidelines. This suspicion may seem harsh, but nonetheless, 2 several of the 19 currently registered mink breeders are now under investigation for deceiving authorities and illegally keeping foxes and mink in cages during the COVID crisis. COVID outbreaks persist on mink farms across Europe, and nothing suggests we won’t face future outbreaks in Danish herds.
The threat of zoonotic diseases from industrial farming hangs over us constantly, signaling urgent need for radical change in how we treat animals. But agriculture focuses on its bottom line, and politicians chase short-term popularity, so the crucial plan to protect animals and citizens from animal-driven pandemics is still missing.
There has never been a more natural and urgent moment to shut down Danish fur farming. So why isn’t parliament taking this step now? If they can’t agree to end a dying industry that causes so much harm, how can we trust them to manage larger industries utterly entwined with our economy and jobs? Trust in our leaders is fading, and this loss increasingly manifests as civil disobedience, especially among young activists.
“There has never been a more natural and urgent moment to shut down Danish fur farming.”
When animal rights activists block slaughterhouse trucks, when Extinction Rebellion shuts down roads, when climate protesters fill city streets, they do so because their commitment, courage, and ethics surpass those of elected officials, who remain paralyzed and contribute to problems rather than solutions. It’s long past time to challenge our exploitation of animals and the many consequences that follow. Sadly, the return of mink farming shows we are not ready for real change — unless it’s wrapped in promises of profit and growth. Yet current and future crises demand we start prioritizing something very different.
On February 25, 2023, Dyrenes Alliance will take to the streets to stop fur farming. We want the fur industry shut down for good, so mink, chinchillas, and rabbits can reclaim their freedom. If you share this vision, join us on February 25 to demand justice for the animals.