35,000 mink released from Minnesota pelt farm
by The Associated Press
The small mammals made their escape after someone dismantled parts of the farm's exterior fence and opened the cages
ST. CLOUD, Minn.—Authorities say 35,000 mink that were set free from a pelt farm in central Minnesota are incapable of surviving in the wild.
The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says someone entered the property of Lang Farms northwest in Eden Valley late Sunday or early Monday, dismantled parts of the exterior fence and then released about 35,000 mink from their cages. Eden Valley is about 75 miles (120 kilometres) northwest of Minneapolis.
Authorities say the mink are raised for their pelts and won’t survive in the wild. The animals are worth more than $750,000.
The sheriff’s office warns that people who come into contact with any of the mink should report the sighting but not try to capture them because they can bite.
