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The Dutch Parliament has voted to close all mink farms by the end of the year — bringing us closer to the end of the cruel practices associated with them.
The vote came after several COVID-19 outbreaks led to two farmworkers being infected and thousands of minks being slaughtered.
Mink on fur farms are packed into tiny, unclean cages which not only stunt their growth, but mentally break them down to where they start exhibiting unnatural behaviors such as self-harm and even cannibalism.
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Some farms are known to use anal electrocution as a method of slaughter.
The fight isn’t over, though.
The motion now has to be approved by the upper house of the Dutch government.
If it passes, the new law will hasten the closure of the country’s estimated 128 mink farms.
And The Netherlands isn’t the only country making moves to reduce the trade of animals in the wake of COVID-19. China has since banned the consumption of all wildlife.
The pandemic has caused a lot of pain across the world, but at Karmagawa we’re hoping we all can make the most of things … and at least use new awareness to help protect animals around the planet.
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What do you think about the possibility of closing all mink farms? Leave a comment below.
(Cover image: Lynsey Grosfield/Shutterstock