Pandemic ‘Time Bomb’: Virologists Urge Governments To Ban Fur Farming

Virologists are urging governments to ban fur farming in order to prevent future pandemics. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences highlights the risks associated with mink farms, particularly the spread of harmful pathogens due to the crowded and unsanitary conditions in which the animals are kept. Mink are especially vulnerable to viruses like SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and the evolution of strains in non-human animals poses a potential time bomb for the re-emergence of viruses in humans.

Countries like Denmark have already taken action by culling millions of mink following COVID-19 outbreaks on fur farms, leading to calls for the elimination of fur farming altogether. The researchers emphasize the need for governments to consider the mounting evidence that fur farming, especially mink farming, should be stopped to prevent future pandemics. They argue that fur farming should be categorized with high-risk practices like the bushmeat trade and live animal markets, and biosecurity measures at fur farms need to be reviewed, enhanced, and closely enforced to protect public health.