Mink released from Pa. farm; 400 die

[seedspreader]

SALEM, Ohio — More than 400 mink died after being released from their pens at a western Pennsylvania farm.

Nearly all of the 2,800 mink at Oakwood Mink Farm in Boyers, Pa., were released in the middle of the night June 5, with 103 nursing females and 340 kits dying as a result. Some were killed on the road, some were trampled by whoever let them loose and some died simply from stress.

Most of the surviving mink were recovered and returned the farm June 6, according to Teresa Platt, executive director of Fur Commission USA. The commission is a nonprofit association that represents mink farmers in 28 states.

Dogs. Two dogs at the farm were also killed during the ordeal. It is unclear if they were shot or hit with a sharp object.

The Robert and Kim DeMatteis family has been raising mink on the Marion Township farm for 32 years.

Right now, officials can only speculate on a motive, but financial harm to the farm could be a major factor, according to Platt, who is acting as the DeMatteis' media liaison.

Competition? PETA-type? Who?

The kits involved in the release were three to six weeks away from weaning and weighed one-fourth of a pound to 1 pound. Many of those young mink are now orphans and the DeMatteises are working to match them up with females willing to nurse them. Unless they are nursed, the kits will die, Platt said.

http://www.farmanddairy.com/1editori...-token.subpub=

[MELOC]

are there plans for development in that area? how about disgruntled hunters? not arguing the peta thing as i think they are boneheads, it just makes no sense.

[veme]

That's about 10 miles from me and it is pretty rural.

I'll ask my husband's partner about it. He lives in Boyers.

Sounds like teenagers not PETA, but who can tell any more?

I'm surprised who ever let the mink out of their cages weren't hurt. Mink are mean & really can bite!

veme

[veme]

The story in town is this:

2 brothers are fighting over the who Dad left the Farm to. No will.

Either the brother hired someone to do it or he did it himself. The 2 brothers have been in court & it is nasty.

The dogs were not beaten or shot, but hacked up with a machete.

What gets to me ( and everybody else apparently) is that the FBI was called in.
I can’t believe that the Pennsylvania State Police don’t know an ugly family quarrel when they see one.

I’ll bet that the PA State Police are mandated to call the FBI since the now infamous “Patriot Act”.

What do you bet?

veme

[Trixie]

Originally Posted by veme

The story in town is this:

2 brothers are fighting over the who Dad left the Farm to. No will.

Either the brother hired someone to do it or he did it himself. The 2 brothers have been in court & it is nasty.

The dogs were not beaten or shot, but hacked up with a machete.

What gets to me ( and everybody else apparently) is that the FBI was called in.
I can’t believe that the Pennsylvania State Police don’t know an ugly family quarrel when they see one.

I’ll bet that the PA State Police are mandated to call the FBI since the now infamous “Patriot Act”.

What do you bet?

veme

'The rest of the story'.

Didn't I read about this somewhere and some people were sure it was PETA.

[primal1]

I am reluctant to rely on the town gossip, but it does make more sense than the Mink Association claiming 'terrorism(no doubt for insurance reasons or media attention)

[SHELBY]

Originally Posted by Trixie

'The rest of the story'.

Didn't I read about this somewhere and some people were sure it was PETA.

I think you're right, Wasn't it here? The date in the article would be about the same time the thread was started.

[arabian knight]

Ya releasing mink like this most always has been from peta or people that are nuts just like peta people.

[pumpkinlady]

I used to live in that town and knew this family. I find it hard to believe that it is a family fight. They have raised mink for years and there used to be several other mink farms in town too. Not sure if there still is. They took me in to see the babies once and it was so quiet and calm. Mink are nervous around strangers. They had a radio playing for them too. I feel bad that this happened and I hope they find who did this.

Who ever did this better hope that the Feds find them first as people in that area stick together and take things in their own hands....

[Trixie]

Originally Posted by primal1

I am reluctant to rely on the town gossip, but it does make more sense than the Mink Association claiming 'terrorism(no doubt for insurance reasons or media attention)

In this part of the country, towns usually know what is going on ---

But things can get mighty vicious in a family where inheritance is concerned - I have seen it happen too many times. A loving, tightknit family can come unraveled quickly.

If the dogs were hacked to death, and if as first reported some mink were killed, it doesn't sound like PETA - not that I think they are necessarily a sane bunch of people.

It doesn't sound like terrorism, either - not sure how killing mink is going to strike terror in the population - except maybe other mink farmers.

Who knows -

[primal1]

Originally Posted by Trixie

In this part of the country, towns usually know what is going on ---

But things can get mighty vicious in a family where inheritance is concerned - I have seen it happen too many times. A loving, tightknit family can come unraveled quickly.

If the dogs were hacked to death, and if as first reported some mink were killed, it doesn't sound like PETA - not that I think they are necessarily a sane bunch of people.

It doesn't sound like terrorism, either - not sure how killing mink is going to strike terror in the population - except maybe other mink farmers.

Who knows -

Good thing the FBI was called in lol

EDIT: I only say I won't rely on town gossip because in a small town of 500 i've heard gossip about me that was way off the mark... sad for the familt if it's true though.

[tiffnzacsmom]

Terror includes imtimadtion, so if it was done to cause fear then with the new laws its the FBI's ball game.

[fishhead]

One time I visited a mink farm to buy something unrelated to their mink operation. They played 20 questions with me for a very long time until they felt comfortable I wasn't a PETA type casing the operation.

A few years later I heard that someone broke in and released most or all of their mink. Lots of mink died and it's hard to predict what the release of so many large mink in an area had on the wildlife.

[Oggie]

Originally Posted by veme

I’ll bet that the PA State Police are mandated to call the FBI since the now infamous “Patriot Act”.

veme

Shortly after 9/11 agricultural and other interest groups lobbied to have any action against a corporate farming operation declared "terrorism" even though those have little to do with the villainy of that day. Increased penalties were tacked on to the Patriot and other acts.

It was as though those special interests couldn't get the increased enforcement passed on their own merits.

[texican]

Did the Chicago Board of Trade's 'mink futures' go up on news of this disaster? Did somene sell their mink futures short? Is there a mink mafia involved? Someone not pay their bada bing dues?

Follow the money...



Is interesting that there is an inheritance issue involved with the mink caper... I have no truck with PETA, but do dislike crimes that implicate others.

[pcwerk]

Originally Posted by Trixie

'The rest of the story'.

Didn't I read about this somewhere and some people were sure it was PETA.

Yes, it was here. Somebody let Moosemaniac know about this...she is
occasionally the source of misinformation here ;-)
pc