In Denmark there is confusion and regret over the killings of mink

The mass killing of all minks in Danish fur farms by the government last week is causing increasing confusion and resentment. The mink situation has degenerated into a political scandal: “We made a mistake,” admitted the responsible food minister, Mogens Jensen. Since the mutation could be dangerous to fight the coronavirus, all minks across the country are killed, even if they are not infected with the corona. But there is no legal basis for killing healthy fur animals outside certain risk zones. Jensen says they failed to clarify the legal situation in detail. The opposition is therefore calling for his resignation. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen sealed off Jutland’s far north for another three weeks to prevent the new mutation from spreading.

In a letter, the government apologized to mink farmers for the misunderstanding. The total of 17 million minks are still expected to be killed, even if they are healthy. This also applies to the animals of mink farmer Niels Kristensen (32), who BLICK visited on his farm in Brørup, South Jutland. Kristensen is furious that the mink industry was not included in the decision at all. It was the worst week ever. “Tomorrow we will have to kill our last mink.”