Ignored what exactly? Megan, the wild is inherently cruel and out of our control. I was curious Melissa, how many pet mink have you kept over the years? I think it is hormonal and light and hunger etc that causes this. Minks raised from an early age often bond to their owners, although they can become aggressive toward people who they are unfamiliar with. Raw meat can supplement the diet (some owners prefer to feed this exclusively, but it can be messy, nutritionally incomplete, and spread bacteria to the human owner). I'm going with the evidence-based APPROVED methods of slaughter. Okay, so minks apparently aren't anally electrocuted. Where I'm I? They have a long body measuring up to 26 inches and their soft, chocolate-brown … I once watched a dog's hide be ripped from its living body in a documentary that shows what those APPROVED standards look like in practice. They do NOT EVER die hours, days or WEEKS LATER like in the wounded deer situation. When stepped upon, they can also lead to injury. You prefer that animals suffer their entire lives stuffed in tiny cages, walking around in their own filth, never seeing the light of day, only so they can 'humanly" have their heads chopped off and be paired for you or your pets dinner plate. I'm a conservation biologist and a naturalist and I feel like I've got something to contribute here. If you want to use my name, that is ok with me. Minks can bite through the thickest gloves, still causing bloody wounds. I decided to just let him go. Without predators, prey starves. Wild hedgehogs are voracious as they die if they do not put on enough weight to hibernate, they know this. I have never trained my mink to home, and yet many of my mink if lost while hunting will find their own way home. Lion ~ Mink ~ Muskrats ~ Opossums ~ Otter ~ Porcupines ~ Raccoon ~ Skunks ~ Weasel ~ Whitetail Deer ~ Moose. Escaped animals are not thinking 'finally I'm FREE! I had to move their tank away from her, as she also wanted to swim in their tank, haha. Looks can be deceiving, which is why the belief that animals make better pets when they are domesticated is invalid. If you don't want to feed your pets animals that experienced discomfort, fear, and pain before it died then you don't have a choice but to stick to herbivorous pets. They run off into the forest to die a slow and painful death that can last anywhere from hours, to days, to weeks! Ranch or 'farmed' minks are in fact "100% domesticated. Size: Mink are about the same size as ferrets, which makes them significantly smaller than otters, with a length of 30-45cm and a tail of 15-25cm on top. Laboratory mice, pigs, chickens, and ducks do not seem to become infected or spread the infection based on results from studies. We know that cats, dogs, and some other mammals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2, but we don’t yet know all of the animals that can get infected. Having an understanding of their wild behavior will provide insight into what they require in captivity. "Humans killing animals in stores where I can't see them and then feeding them to my animals is fine. Minks are semi-aquatic, predacious, high-octane, voracious mustelids with an extremely fast metabolism. What 'incorrect' information am I spreading? In addition, you should also check regulations in your county, city, and (if applicable) HOA. Currently, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people. Cats and mink are most likely to become symptomatic, when compared to dogs, and mink appear to have an increased likelihood of dying. Dutch Minks Infected By COVID-19 — And Appear To Infect Humans : Goats and Soda This outbreak of COVID-19 adds to the list of animals that can contract the disease. Plus, these animals can't just be taught to hunt and then be set free. Everything eventually dies, I will eventually die, but I do not want to go that way. All animals under my care are partners. I train my mink to come to me when called. Minks are a pet for the adventurous pet keeper who is willing to accept that occasional mishaps may occur. doesn't matter if it's in 3 square feet or 3 square miles. Data from studies suggest that dogs can get infected but might not spread the virus to other dogs as easily as cats and ferrets can spread the virus to other animals of the same species. They live REAL LIFE like a REAL MINK. They will just 'forget' their kill and re-energize for the next one. The lion is not cruel when it kills the antelope, nor is the pack of wolves when it exhausts an old buck for hours, only to be eaten alive. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on June 23, 2015: You assume wrong, as long as it is humane and the prey is hunted for consumption. "Natural predators kill the animals that are least fit to survive.". Just ONE SHOT that doesn't hit it's mark just right, can cause MORE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAN ONE OF MY MINK CAN CAUSE IN AN entire YEARS WORTH OF HUNTING! You should check with your state DNR/G&F or state Ag Dept. Yes this is my own little paradise and I will prioritize the welfare of my pets AND the animals they eat. You should feed this animal its biologically appropriate diet, and provide minimum stimulation that is breed specific for this creature. As many people know through reading various articles about Bengal cats, they are a domestic cat that was crossed with an Asian Leopard cat in order to come up with the Bengal kittens we know now. You might see an animal not moving after 5 seconds but you have no idea if they are still conscious. Of mink and human samples tested so far in the United States, none have contained all the mutations that make up the Cluster 5 strain. They can easily bite down to the bone. Your responses to people's comments are down right humorous, as you continue to dig yourself deeper and deeper into a black hole of utter and complete hypocrisy. Country is the world's biggest producer of mink fur and makes €1.1bn a year Now Denmark is having to cull around 17million mink house in 1,500 farms By John Naish for the Daily Mail Weasel From for a pet. I love nature for how it is, not how I wish it was. That would be about same as having a wild mustang for a pet and alway keeping it in a sling in stables and not in a pasture where it can graze and run around. I'm not up for a larger philosophical debate about whether or not people should have morals. So I knew her 100%. What is said here should apply to bobcats, mountain lions and domestic cats. The farm-raised mink that are pelted for fashion are domesticated. If anything is cruel, forcing a wild predator to eat nothing but highly processed fake foods, and locking them inside for their entire lives, not allowing then to do anything natural, THAT is true cruelty. Just like your quote of mine is taken out of context on purpose to remove my logical thread, the logic of which is easy to follow in my comment; so too, your descriptions wild minks are based on fantasy, just like your claim that I do not consider all minks to be individuals is based on your fantasy of who I am. Yesterday I learned that orangutans are quite uncomplicated and simple creatures compared to elephants who have deep emotions, are subject to emotional trauma and have long memories. Your conscience may be clear, but your logic is nonexistent.". Your entire comment was based on a miscommunication. Who can I buy a mink or. oh gosh what was that noise? I’d imagine he’d be very well capable of looking after himself against a ferret. If keeping carnivore pets requires live feedings then keeping them is cruel. The opossum is freed but I'm wondering why it had a pit bull sent on it in the first place. Or how about when Grandma Nancy's little fluffy goes missing in Florida and is replaced by a scaly reptile. They should not be released into the open fauna, because just like ferrets.. their life clocks will become 'immediately' activated, and their chance of survival is slim to none. I stumbled upon this article somehow and I spent the last 45 minutes reading all of these comments out of genuine curiosity about the various viewpoints the contributors are backing. But I presume that if your animals got cancer, which is natural, you wouldn't like that. Animal rights groups , that release this animal into the environment seal the fate of this animal as the males are territorial and will kill each other, and 95% uncovered will die at the hands of the pitfalls of the environment they are in. For many reasons even stated here. I cant find out if I need a license for a mink in California dose anyone know if they are legal? Actually, the whole idea of keeping pets from the start is unnatural for them so maybe it is you who shouldn't be keeping animals if you are against denying them of their 'nature'. Maybe you should CALM DOWN and actually comprehend what you're attacking. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on February 07, 2015: When I said 'does not involve hunting for food' I was referring to a video where you sent a pit bull after an opossum that you didn't end up killing: "While here I took my little brother Ammon 'possum hunting with our family dog Mitzy." Here's the thing you don't know about the "humane" ways of hunting you love to talk about so much........ not every bullet hits the animal where you intend to shoot it. whatever helps you sleep at night. The mink is a curious animal and is less fearful of people. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on July 21, 2019: Ok i just want to know if i can own. Have fun writing a bunch more articles about animals you've never seen. They are not 'considered' domesticated. As someone whose received her "Bachelors in Biology" you sure seem like someone who doesn't understand how it works, but then it makes sense seeing as how you're from New York. Minks have small animal prints. I am glad this is now banned in the UK, and hope it never returns. The Manx is a medium-sized cat but she is stocky and heavily boned. You're going to discover that cervical dislocation from a set of mink jaws after a 30 second wrestling match is not so much worse than suffocating in a net, being herded into a building that reeks of blood and fear before having your throat cut/getting hit with a pneumatic hammer, or being hung upside down by your legs on conveyor belt and having your head sliced off by a set of spinning blades. You have both misrepresented me and what I do, as well as spread a blatant untruth about what I do and why I do it. I've been to a wolf sanctuary (The Wolf Conservation Center) that doesn't do this. However, mink that appear healthy have also been confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection in several countries. Here's some advice for you (and luckily for you, it's on the internet so obviously it's true! This taxidermy of a least weasel attacking a rabbit provides a visual of how minks kill large animals. Worker safety is critical to protect people and animals on mink farms. The American mink (Neovison vison) is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America.Because of range expansion, the American mink is classed as a least-concern species by the IUCN. Other than the quality of their fur, and the size of their bodies, ranch mink are not much different from their wild counterparts. Saving Lives, Protecting People, COVID-19 Pets and Animals Frequently Asked Questions, Interim SARS-CoV-2 Guidance and Recommendations for Farmed Mink and Other Mustelids, Interim Guidance for Animal Health and Public Health Officials Managing Farmed Mink and other Farmed Mustelids with SARS-CoV-2, Interim Guidance for Public Health Professionals Managing People with COVID-19 in Home Care and Isolation Who Have Pets or Other Animals, Interim recommendations for intake of companion animals from households where humans with COVID-19 are present, Interim Infection Prevention and Control Guidance for Veterinary Clinics, Evaluation for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Animals, Interim Guidance for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in North American Wildlife, Toolkit: One Health Approach to Address Companion Animals with SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Recommendations for Pet Stores, Pet Distributors, and Pet Breeding Facilities, Response & Containment Guidelines: Interim Guidance for Animal Health and Public Health Officials Managing Farmed Mink and other Farmed Mustelids with SARS-CoV-2, Guidance to Reduce the Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Spreading between People and Wildlife, Information on Bringing an Animal into the United States, World Organisation for Animal Health: COVID-19 Events in Animals, USDA: Confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Animals in the United States, Confirmation of COVID-19 in a Snow Leopard at a Kentucky Zoo​, Confirmation of COVID-19 in Pet Dog in New York, Confirmation of COVID-19 in Two Pet Cats in New York, USDA Statement on the Confirmation of COVID-19 Infection in a Tiger in New York, Confirmation of COVID-19 in Gorillas at a California Zoo, Confirmation of COVID-19 in a Cougar at a Wild Animal Exhibitor in Texas, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), People with Developmental & Behavioral Disorders, Nursing Homes & Long-Term Care Facilities, Caregivers of People Living with Dementia, Resources for Limited-English-Proficient Populations, Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Recovery from COVID-19 for All Air Passengers Arriving in the United States, How COVID-19 Travel Health Notice Levels Are Determined, Travelers Prohibited from Entry to the US, Travel Planner Instructions for Health Departments, Crew Disembarkations through Commercial Travel, Road Travel Toolkit for Transportation Partners, Guidance for Handlers of Service & Therapy Animals, Customizable COVID-19 Vaccine Content for CBOs, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on August 01, 2015: You don't know what I think it is. Typically, solid Tonkinese cats have gold or green eyes, cats with the pointed pattern are blue eyed, and the mink cats have a shade of aquamarine. Are you making a case that ethics are something we don't need to have? I'm against them if they are someone's pets eating live. Now this reminds me of my totally wild mink, and he is describing wild mink at a distance. So why is it so bad for one wild animal (which has no chance in the wild) to be allowed to hunt for its food? While it is not 100% the same amount of stimulation as tracking live prey, there are substitutes that can provide enrichment to captive carnivores. I've got to get back to the real world. Are you suggesting the natural order of things is unjust and immoral because a predator happens to have an owner? Mink International Rescue on October 25, 2019: Considered domesticated. If a mink is anything like a spotted genet, the only way hunting would keep them stimulated is if they were constantly killing animals. I just happened to come across that yesterday. This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. People with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should avoid contact with animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife. This is boundary protection and the living of her mink life, where she has to feed herself and stay safe and alive. Whoever wrote this is basically saying wild animals should not be able to do wild animal things. To me for it to be sporting the prey must have a more fair chance at escaping.". I would rather be eaten than die from rodent poison or stuck to a glue board. I've basically devoted my life to keeping and learning about pets, all pets, that's why I have a bachelor's in biology, but more importantly I have my own pets and books on zoology and psychology that I use for my conclusions as well as my personal insight, so I'm hardly a 'parrot', although I know you're just saying that because you disagree with my stances. Wild mink are not voracious at all. Little girl, you have some serious internal conflicts going on in your head. Animal Scat Notes. It is what it is, a sad thing out of my control. Also don't know if you will see this, but Joseph Carter you are amazing & one of my personal heroes when it comes to animals. Melissa, how is it inhumane to allow a predator to eat its prey? The more natural and real things are, the more uncomfortable you get. Cats, ferrets, fruit bats, and hamsters can also spread the infection to other animals of the same species in laboratory settings. My spotted genet prefers 'dead' food, he won't touch mouse carcasses. These are not pets to be confined to small ferret cages. Let me know when you see this comment. This is the way of nature. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIyrZrMbzIU. The most adaptable animal I have ever known, as in, if this animal was competing in the olympics it would never specialise, it would be at least a decathlon athlete. The Manx can appear larger than she is and fanciers may not realize how heavy she can actually be at maturity. This is an ancient thing, but the torture of the rabbits was not involved by kind people. If that is just your opinion, then you have no business ranting about that as being incorrect. A lot of times snake will flat out refuse frozen prey, so should we just let it starve? Mink average 13-18 inches long and weigh up to 3 pounds, whereas ermine weigh 0.2-0.3 pounds and least weasels weigh 1-2 ounces. I really didn’t know what to expect. Regardless, the smaller brain size barely makes a difference with the animal’s needs in captivity. Or, they could have allowed excessive suffering to the prey, which is cruel and wrong. I feed WASAVA-compliant foods to predators. As part of these investigations, the teams collected samples from animals on the farms and from people working on mink farms and in surrounding communities. They know how to hunt, so they don't need food from me. It's that simple. As for your statements on the dispatching methods, I do not support 'halal slaughter' (throat cutting). run! I have no obligation to emulate or tolerate the parts I don't like when it comes to what goes on in my house. I've never kept a mink, the behaviors I speak of have a continuity among many mammals and birds. It is completely unnecessary and inhumane to feed live prey. This is why factory farms are cruel. Their natural lifestyle consists of waking up, excessively hunting animals that can even be larger than themselves, eating, and going back to sleep. They can be very determined, attacking large animals with little inhibition and powerful bite force. @Amanda- A licence or permit is required in many states. Lynx tracks have some unique features of their own, so are not treated here. You choose to ignore the amount of waste that is produced through your “humane” ways of producing meat. LIFE is cruel, it is unfair and when you play by Nature's rules ethics is at a bare minimum; more something that can be classified as cause and consequence. Person who just saw minks international get roasted on October 25, 2019: Even though I thoroughly enjoyed your tirade against this article you need to calm down, the info posted is all facts that you misinterpreted because of your bias against owning a mink. Edible meat is wasted, not to mention the pelt, bones, and teeth that can be used for other stuff, is all thrown away for probably only four cuts of decent steak. The nests are largely straw, augmented with bits of plastic or paper … Actually live feeding does replicate the hunting process. When you accidentally shoot a deer in the leg, the animal doesn't just stand around and wait for you to take a second shot! Still, these domesticated animals breed and survive enough to satisfy fur farmers. Farmed mink are then dispatched via anal electrocution. You see me as some blood thirsty monster, because I want to hunt naturally, instead of having an unfair advantage while using a man made weapon that can kill an animal before it even knows I'm there. I trapped her and brought her to my house. We are very careful not to waist one animal life. I would love to be incorrectly assuming that this is true. "They are only domesticated, when raised in captivity.". This is the THIRD TIME I have corrected you on this issue, and yet your article still misrepresents me as a person, and suggests that I just kill for fun, and don't eat what I kill. Most of your replies to what other people say that you disagree with is unprofessional and will definitely impact your “reliability”. The are simply 'domesticated'. Am a us veteran living over seaswere can I buy a babe Mink ? Several species including cats (domestic and exotic), mink, dogs and non-human primates have all tested positive for the virus after exposure to a human with known or suspected SARS-CoV-2. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on June 22, 2019: Chandler Stastny: I'm a pet owner. She loved me and was devoted to me and very loyal. If you think keeping pets inside eating dead food is cruel you are against 95% of pet owners. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on June 04, 2015: "CC" the truthfulness of what I say is NOT determined by the number of supportive posts on this article, sorry. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on October 24, 2019: Mink International Rescue And Recovery: I reviewed the article and cannot find where I said that minks are not domesticated. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on June 19, 2015: You're perfectly welcome to kill your own prey HUMANELY. You are clearly 90% emotion and 10% logic. They love their lives so much, that they will come home to me, often when I am not even there to call them. ): Next time you go around and see something you don't agree with and have a very biased view about, don't make an article about it. A big part of the reason I don't like hunting with guns, isn't just because it gives you an unfair advantage, it's also because of the EXTREME PAIN AND SUFFERING it causes when you don't hit the animal just right. It is an apex predator and hunts for its food. When attempting to identify the animal by sight, if you don’t know the basic physical differences between the species, the animals can be mistaken for each other. My bat-detection abilities work just fine all the time, like now. they fluctuate throughout the night with peaks and lulls of activity. "Actually, the whole idea of keeping pets from the start is unnatural for them so maybe it is you who shouldn't be keeping animals if you are against denying them of their 'nature'. What I do think you need to investigate more closely, however, is how "humanely" the animals in the cans were slaughtered. You stated that. Some people opt for raw diets that they call 'biological appropriate'. As for diet, show me a scholarly source that says they cannot be fed cat food. I do however feel you have misunderstood me to some degree. Minks sound quite difficult to care for. Cats include mountain lions, bobcats, lynx, and domestic cats. If you look closely, you can sometimes even tell the difference between right and left tracks, as well as front and hind tracks. Not even a little bit. I agree keeping pets is unnatural. Actually, how often a mink hunts muskrats depends more on where it lives than anything else. "You're going to discover that cervical dislocation from a set of mink jaws after a 30 second wrestling match is not so much worse than suffocating in a net, being herded into a building that reeks of blood and fear before having your throat cut/getting hit with a pneumatic hammer, or being hung upside down by your legs on conveyor belt and having your head sliced off by a set of spinning blades.". Thanks for stopping by. Large numbers of your chickens will be dead and not eaten. I do not suggest anyone takes in a wild mink as a companion, as I am very unusual and rare human, in that I can echolocate emotionally and spiritually. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. But what I do get tired of is people that have no clue about my lifestyle or the environment Joseph Carter, I and others like us live in, trying to tell us how we need to live our lives. It means the animal has been selectively-bred, which has led to an alteration of its traits that makes it more suitable for human use. This is one of the few CONSISTENT definitions of domestication. Beaver scat is made up entirely of wood chips. There are currently 4 base colors- Blue, Natural, Champagne and Platinum, and 3 coat patterns, which are Solid, Mink and Point. Homing pigeons have been selectively bred for this trait. Rachel Jones from Cardiff, UK on May 17, 2015: you can't put a price on freedom, or escaping from something bad for you: both of these are similar and so this is my final farewell, farewell and good luck and all kind wishes. You have told me that I shouldn't care because it makes the animal happier and you are STILL doing that, and I think that's screwed up, actually. It has to catch others who are moving fast all the time, and anyone who has any mink long-term has to allow the animal to do this. There is not enough established nutritional science to declare that you know what a mink should eat. No, I don't. It's the pathogens natural right to eventually take your pet. Why certain pets they keep become aggressive and destructive because they cannot exercise their natural abilities. Maybe this can also happen to human toddlers. This work is being done to help us better understand how common SARS-CoV-2 infection might be in pets as well as the possible role of pets in the spread of this virus. Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on February 09, 2019: BPerron That cat food and possibly T.gondii (a cat parasite) is probably attracting your rats. Whether or not your mink remains tame will depend on the age of the animal, your persistence, and the animal's individual personality. I have a chicken coop and a rat has moved in. The oval pellets are 1 to 1 1/4 inches in length and 3/4 of an … This is not only untrue, but extremely offensive to me! If importing a mink from another state, you will most likely need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, and may also be required to provide USDA documentation or some other record of origin. Feeding live doesn't even really replicate the entire process of hunting and is just a form of cruelty.". This she will do, and I obviously had to be mindful of this all the time. Based on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low. Maybe in a perfect world everything we eat would die peacefully in it's sleep but that's not how it happens when you've got a thousand cows that need to be shrink-wrapped by the end of your shift. Therefore, as one might expect, a cage should be suitably-sized, although not even a spacious cage will offset all the energy of an animal adapted as a high energy hunter. I agree that torture of prey is not acceptable. What matters are the traits inherent to the species. They come back because that is what they want to do. So yes, a humane kill is always superior. I'm scared! I completely agree with Chase, it took me back a bit to think to feed a predator a pray animal is inhumane but I do appreciate the fact that you find the thought to be enriching. In the southern parts of their range, mink only occasionally feed on muskrats as an opportunistic predator. I feel you have misunderstood me in this case. Just my opinion. I believe in gun shot to the right region or captive bolt gun, whichever methods are approved in the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals that result in instant loss of consciousness. One mink jumped up and hung onto a guy’s nose, wouldn’t let go. Your "ethics" are beyond ridiculous, and you make absolutely no sense! In return a these animals receive a much more stable source of food, water, medical care and sanctuary. "I really like the details you gave to explain this fact, and I think you did an AWESOME job in writing this article! Person who wants to know about minks on September 21, 2019: How much does a mink cost on average and is it legal in ohio? In the United States, respiratory disease and increases in mink deaths have been seen on most affected mink farms. I appreciate your cooperation. Fur farm minks are also subjected to cramped conditions, even though they are high-energy, continuous hunters. Why then do you feel it is more "humane" to force them to live an entirely unnatural life eating dead stuff, and being locked in a house like a prisoner? Never mind that I've never touched a surfboard in my life. Minks also will catch fish, in addition to mice, rats, squirrels, and even rabbits. No. If by that word you mean that this animal can be maintained with ease in captive conditions to breed and grow (cows, horses, chickens), then YES. I don't think it's inhumane to allow an animal to perform an act and instinct as basic as hunting and eating inhumane. And one wild mink has things in common with all wild mink, including certain behaviour. Ants, cuckoo birds, dolphins, lions, chimps, elephants, wolfs, have all been observed to kill for non survival reasons. Feeding live doesn't even really replicate the entire process of hunting and is just a form of cruelty. All organisms die, but not all of them suffer. But because he allows the hunt to go as they would in the wild doesn't mean you can label him and a cruel animal abuser of torturer. A license is not required here to keep a pet mink, and people just assume minks are "cool ferrets".
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