Intruders released approximately 1,500 mink from a fourth-generation family farm in Franklin near the Idaho-Utah border early Saturday morning, October 17, according to Fur Commission USA. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and is warning residents to be on the lookout for the animals.
The security system at the Hobbs family farm on Parkinson Road detected the intruders around 2:36 a.m. and deterred further activity, the national trade association for mink farmers said in a news release Sunday. Following the break-in, several mink were struck and killed by vehicles on nearby roads, while others died from dehydration, heat exhaustion, and exposure, according to the Hobbs family.
Jeff Hobbs, the owner of the Hobbs mink farm, stated that the animals depend on the family for food, water, and care. He questioned the humanity of releasing over a thousand animals that could face starvation or death from dehydration. Jill Hobbs, the farmer's wife, noted that while the community rallied to help, it was heartbreaking to see animals suffer and die due to these actions.
The Sheriff’s Office advised residents with small pets, such as cats, rabbits, and small dogs, as well as farmers with small animals like ducks and chickens, to take precautions to prevent attacks until all mink are rounded up. While mink are meat eaters and can be aggressive, they have also been known to attack people in rare instances.
As of Sunday evening, the Hobbs family reported that over 90 percent of the released mink had been recovered. During the recovery efforts on Saturday morning, approximately 100 local people, including Franklin city officials, neighbors, and family members, assisted with the process. Franklin County sheriff’s deputies also responded to the scene and established roadblocks to prevent more mink from being hit by vehicles.
Fur Commission USA Executive Director Challis Hobbs, the son of Jeff Hobbs, described those responsible for the incident as terrorists. The association noted that the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act treats qualifying attacks meant to damage or interfere with animal enterprises as federal terrorism offenses.
An animal-rights press office that publicizes anonymous actions by activists posted an announcement Sunday claiming the 1,500 mink had been liberated. As of Sunday evening, no arrests had been made regarding the incident.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office praised the Hobbs family for being proactive in alerting authorities and working to round up the mink. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 208-852-1234.
