Vandals Strike in Iowa
Farmers Offer $100,000 Reward

Sometime during the early morning hours of Friday, August 20, vandals opened the doors of about 700 mink cages at Isebrands Fur Farm in Jewell, Iowa. Since the animals were still sharing cages with their littermates, about 2,500 mink were released. Neighbors came from miles around to help recover the animals.

As of August 24, about 500 mink were still missing and as the day loomed hot, Mark Isebrands, who owns the farm with his family, fretted over the health of the animals. "They will soon be dying of the heat without care," he stated. "Obviously whoever was involved in this crime didn't care about the animals and was simply trying to make some sort of political statement at the animals' expense." Isebrands raises mink for their pelts for sale to the international fur garment trade.

"This is the third farm hit in three days. This may seem like a road trip with a nasty focus," stated Teresa Platt, executive director of Fur Commission USA, which represents over 600 U.S.-based fur farmers, "but many of these vandals spout anti-capitalist rhetoric and enjoy destroying property and livelihoods. Fur farmers from Canada and the United States are offering a reward fund of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest of these dangerous people. We also ask governments to investigate the escalation of terrorist incidents under the guise of 'saving the planet', or eco-terrorism."

In the meantime, 500 animals are still missing and they will be playing havoc with local pets and wildlife until they are rounded up and returned to their cages. Anyone seeing a lost mink, please call (619) 575-0139.

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