Update from the DeMatteis farm in Boyers, Marion Township, Pennsylvania

The final tally from the attack on the DeMatteis (pronounced DeMatts) farm came to $40-50,000 in damages and 500 mink dead.

Robert DeMatteis spent Friday repeating the work of Thursday, running an adoption program on the farm. He is creating new litters by matching up female mink with 3 to 5 kits each.

The kits are tiny, about a quarter of a pound to 1 pound and were 3 to 6 weeks from being weaned from their mothers when criminals attacked the farm early Wednesday morning and separated the kits from their mothers.

The farmer's hope is that the females will not reject the kits that they are matched with and will settle down into their nesting boxes and nurse the young. Some kits are rejected and he puts these in another litter and tries again. Any kits that do not nurse soon will starve so time is of the essence at this phase of the recovery process.

Word of the horrendous crime has spread and Robert and Kim DeMatteis and their three small children send their thanks to all those who have called to express their concern.

"People we do not even know have called to tell us how moved they were by reports of what happened. It is wonderful and we thank them," reported Kim DeMatties.

For those who want to help the family recover from this crime and to rebuild their farm over the next few years, Fur Commission USA has established the "DeMatteis Family Fund." See our Donations page for more info. Include a note on your donation that it is for the DeMatteis Family Fund.

The DeMatteis Family thanks you for all your concern and good wishes.

For more information see:

Vicious attack on fur farming family results in dogs killed, brutalized mink and kits, FCUSA press release, June 6, 2007.