Suspects set 40,000 carnivorous minks free from Ohio farm, Sheriff warns locals, farmers

Suspects vandalized the fence of the Lion Farms USA Mink Farm in Hoaglin Township and let 25,000 to 40,000 minks out of their cages, according to a press release issued by the Van Wert County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.

Following the incident, the sheriff's office announced that the incident would be investigated as either a breaking-and-entering crime or vandalism. The press release from the sheriff’s office added, “The sheriff warns local residents and area farmers that minks are carnivorous mammals that stick to a diet consisting of fresh kills.”

It also cautioned other farmers and locals about the threat they posed to the neighborhood.


"They regularly hunt prey bigger than themselves. As a result, they can be a bothersome pest for homeowners, livestock owners and property managers. Minks have proven to be especially costly and problematic for poultry ranchers as well as homeowners with ornamental ponds filled with koi and other fish,” the news release added.

The sheriff's office also advised contacting nearby, authorized trappers who could help locals capture minks if necessary. They also notified the state traffic department following complaints of vehicles striking the animals on a road close to the farm.



The minks, which look like ferrets and weasels and were being farmed for their fur on a farm in northwest Ohio, approximately 35 miles east of Fort Wayne, Indiana, are not thought to be dangerous wild creatures.

But in the wild, minks consume a wide variety of foods, including frogs, fish, mice, and rabbits. Occasionally, they also attacked pets and livestock.

While it was unclear who was behind this break-in and why they did it, animal rights advocates have a history of working to release minks and have long denounced mink farming, which involves killing the animals for their plush coats.

FAQs:

1. Who released the minks from the farms?
   Animal rights activists might have released minks. However, nothing has been confirmed yet.
2. Are minks dangerous?
   They are not thought to be dangerous wild creatures, but they are carnivores.