Written by: Valentina Crast
Note: This is an opinion piece expressing the author’s personal views.
The Danish fur-bearing mink is literally the most vivid and painful proof of our parliamentarians’ lack of will, courage, and ability to protect our planet, society, and animal life.
Denmark's roots in traditional and industrial agriculture completely block parliament’s political power to drive the vital green transition. Although every politician seems deeply concerned about it, the revival of mink farming is definitive proof it’s all just a show.
No consequences for politicians, but devastating for the animals
It doesn’t take long to find an elected official who says they’re against fur farming, but political action behind those words is nowhere to be found. It’s free to publicly support a ban on fur production in Denmark and completely consequence-free to do nothing about it. Consequence-free for politicians—but absolutely not for the animals, public health, or taxpayers. Even with clear reasons to shut down an already marginalized, dying industry, our politicians can’t bring themselves to permanently close it—a time when mink cages have been empty for two years and Kopenhagen Fur has shut its doors. Meanwhile, as COVID is found in mink herds in Italy, Danish politicians green-light importing new mink for the last stubborn Danish fur farmers—letting animal cruelty continue and the risk of future Coronavirus mutations in these herds live on. Now fewer than 100 businesses in Denmark confine fur animals in tiny wire cages just to skin them for foolishly expensive, fragile coats and hair accessories exported overseas. That includes 19 mink farmers and 39 chinchilla farmers. Less than 25 of these have fur farming as their main occupation. For most registered farmers, fur farming is “just” a hobby.
This means we are currently choosing to restart and protect a production that systematically and fundamentally tortures animals, pollutes nature, and threatens public health—because our politicians refuse to confront 25 people’s right to run an unethical and harmful trade.
“Less than 25 of these have fur farming as their main occupation. For most registered farmers, fur farming is ‘just’ a hobby.”
A quick look at a map of Europe showing countries that have banned and phased out fur farming exposes Denmark for what it is: a nation exploiting and torturing animals for profit against its better judgment, refusing to transition as the world empties cages and enacts new laws. Denmark seems to share its values on animal rights with Russia and China. It’s painful to admit.
Now is the perfect time to shut down fur farming
We’ve reached a point where public health is threatened and the response was a frantic mass slaughter of 17 million mink, resulting in an outrageous “apology” costing taxpayers 19 billion kroner—and an invitation from Christiansborg to start it all over again. It sounds like the script for the most absurd Monty Python film. It shouldn’t be on our politicians’ recent record. The fur farmers’ anger about the government's handling of the infection among farmed mink and some cheating with euthanasia and compensation is understandable, but it also raises a real concern: among the few stubborn survivors, some may ignore the rules. This accusation may sound harsh, but among the 19 registered mink farmers, 2 several are currently charged with defrauding authorities by illegally keeping both foxes and mink in cages during the COVID crisis. Mink farms across Europe continue to have outbreaks, and nothing suggests we won’t see future COVID cases in Danish herds.
The threat of zoonotic diseases from agriculture constantly hangs over us, demanding urgent, radical change in how we relate to animals. Yet agriculture focuses on profits, and politicians chase short-term popularity, delaying the crucial plan to protect animals in Denmark and safeguard citizens from pandemics born from animal farming.
There has never been a more natural or clear moment to end Danish fur farming. So why isn’t parliament taking the step now? If parliament can’t even agree to close a dying industry causing so much harm, how can we trust it to handle larger industries deeply embedded in our economy and jobs? Trust in our leaders is waning, fueling more civil disobedience especially among young activists.
“There has never been a more natural or clear moment to end Danish fur farming.”
When animal rights activists block trucks heading to slaughterhouses, when Extinction Rebellion shuts down roads, when the Climate Movement floods streets with protests, they do so because their ambition, will, ethics, and courage surpass those of elected officials—who remain paralyzed in the face of obvious progress, contributing to problems rather than solutions. The time has long come to confront our exploitation of animals and its many consequences. Sadly, the mink’s return shows we’re not ready for transition unless it’s wrapped in promises of profit and growth—while current and future crises demand we start prioritizing something very different.
On February 25, 2023, Dyrenes Alliance takes to the streets to end fur farming. We want the fur industry closed once and for all, so mink, chinchillas, and rabbits can reclaim their freedom. If you want the same, join us on February 25 to demand justice for the animals.