Take Action: Inhumane Mink Farms are Spreading Covid
Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media
Sign the Petition
Join Species Unite in urging Congress to pass H.R.3783, the Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act (Mink VIRUS Act).
Every year, millions of minks are killed for their pelts. These minks are kept in tiny cages they can barely move in, and overfed and overbred to maximize pelt size, which leads to infections and misery. Then, often at just 1 year old, these precious creatures are beaten and skinned alive.
Due to these dirty, inhumane conditions, mink farms are major vectors for diseases, including COVID19. These minks get COVID19, which can kill tens of thousands of minks on one farm, and then the virus can mutate and spread back to humans. The COVID19 pandemic has already killed millions of people, we do not need more ways for this dangerous virus to spread.
All of this is done to satisfy the greed and the archaic desires of so much of the luxury fashion industry.
The cruelty and the risks involved in this grotesque industry have led many countries, including the United Kingdom, Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Italy, and Israel to either put an end to, or begin the process of putting an end to, mink fur farming within their borders.
Fortunately, there are legislators in the US who also see mink fur farms for the archaic, cruel, disease-spreading institutions that they are. Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) introduced H.R.3783, the Mink: Vectors for Infection Risk in the United States Act (Mink VIRUS Act), which will end the practice of mink fur farming in the United States and will provide support for mink fur farmers to transition out of the industry to ensure they do not turn to illegal mink fur farming for money.
Along with the Humane Society Legislative Fund, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Born Free USA, and the Animal Welfare Institute, Species Unite is putting our support behind this important piece of legislation which has the potential to save the lives of millions of minks and help curb the spread of COVID19.
Please sign our petition now to urge congress to pass the Mink VIRUS Act.
Speak Out Against the Cruelty
Further action:
Please also consider reaching out to your members of congress and asking them to cosponsor the Mink VIRUS Act. You can use this link to find your state representatives. Simply type in your zip code and your state representatives will appear, under each person’s photo there will be a contact link. This will take you to their individual contact page where you can fill out an online form asking them to co-sponsor H.R.3783.
You can send a note as simple as:
Dear Representative [Name],
I am your constituent, and I am writing to ask you to cosponsor H.R.3783 the Mink VIRUS Act. Romania has just banned fur farming on animal welfare and human health grounds and the United States should not fall behind. This important bill will protect Americans from zoonotic diseases and will provide support for mink fur farmers to transition out of the industry to ensure they do not turn to illegal mink fur farming for money. Please help keep our country on the right side of history and do the right thing by co-sponsoring this common sense legislation.
Sincerely,