Approximately 1,500 mink escaped from a fur farm in Turner, Oregon, late last week after a hole was cut in the enclosure's fence. The Animal Liberation Front, described as an extremist group by the FBI, has been linked to the incident.
According to reports, the intruders cut through a chain-link fence at Cascade Farm while employees and their families were sleeping on the premises. The farm manager's wife and children were also on the property at the time.
The Animal Liberation Front issued a press release stating that while they had not yet received an official communique claiming responsibility, the action was consistent with their group's methods. Jerry Vlasak, a spokesperson for the North American Animal Liberation Front, indicated that such communiques are not always sent.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office reported that about 90% of the escaped mink have been recovered. The facility, Cascade Farm, raises mink legally for pelts and holds a Humane Care Certification.
Challis Hobbs, Executive Director of Fur Commission USA, an organization representing mink farmers, called the incident a criminal act, not activism. He emphasized the potential danger to the families living on the farm and stated that any mink not recovered within 24 to 48 hours face risks of starvation and death.
The Animal Liberation Front, however, claimed that the mink would have faced "egregiously cruel and violent" treatment in captivity and that their liberation offered them a "fighting chance at life."
This incident follows a similar event in 2023, where the Animal Liberation Front claimed responsibility for cutting a fence at a Wisconsin fur farm, leading to the escape of approximately 3,000 mink. Authorities have not yet commented on whether the Animal Liberation Front is under investigation for the Oregon farm break-in.