FILE - In this Jan. 19, 2016, file photo, Pamela Anderson delivers her speech during a news conference at the French National Assembly to protest the force-feeding of geese used in the production of foie gras, in Paris.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Francois Mori, File
December 08, 2020 - 3:59 PM
Pamela Anderson is calling on B.C.’s premier to shut down fur factory farms within the province.
In an open letter posted to PETA’s website today, Dec. 8, the Canadian animal activist and actress said minks on fur farms all over the world have been infected with the novel coronavirus by workers, and Denmark started killing all 17 million minks on its fur farms after a mutant strain of the virus spread from minks to humans.
Minks, she wrote, are warehoused inside filthy, cramped wire cages and excrement can easily contaminate adjacent cages.
“Even before the pandemic, fur was a dying industry. In recent years, former fur-wearers, including Queen Elizabeth II, have had a change of heart and major fashion brands — including Chanel, Prada, Gucci, and Michael Kors — have ditched fur,” Anderson wrote.
“More than a dozen countries around the world have shut down fur farms, and the world’s oldest and largest fur auction houses, North American Fur Auctions and Kopenhagen Fur, are exiting the industry… I hope to hear that you will make the lifesaving decision to shut down British Columbia’s mink farms without delay.”
The world is a much different place than it was even a few months ago, she added.
"No one, including minks, deserves to die of COVID-19, and I hope to hear that you will make the lifesaving decision to shut down British Columbia’s mink farms without delay," Anderson wrote.
On Monday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were eight people affected by the Fraser Valley mink farm outbreak.
“Of course, we are paying very close attention to this outbreak,” Dr. Henry said. “In other parts of the world — particularly most recently in in Denmark and prior to that in the Netherlands and as well in the U.S. — we've seen outbreaks on animal farms such as this particularly mink farms, where there has been transmission from humans to mink.”
In some of these cases, there have been mutations of the virus.
“So it is a big concern for us,” the province's top doctor said.
“We are working closely with WorkSafeBC, to ensure that all of the measures on the farm are being done appropriately, and also with the Ministry of Agriculture, and our Animal Health colleagues to make sure that the animals security and health is maintained, as well."
Dr. Henry said that this is an important matter that needs to be looked at “holistically.”
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