Animal Law Digest

A group of British Columbia mink breeders are suing the provincial government, claiming the ban on mink fur farming during the pandemic was not within the government’s powers. Following positive cases of COVID-19 among both employees and mink on several mink farms in BC, on July 26th 2021, an Order of the Provincial Health Officer prohibited new mink farms and new mink breeding until January 31st 2022. In November 2021, the province announced a phase-out of mink farming by 2025. The lawsuit filed on February 15th 2022 claims that the province’s order was ultra vires and that they failed to meaningfully consult with mink farmers before making the order. The lawsuit also comes weeks after the Federal government introduced Bill C-247: Prohibition of Fur Farming Act. Read more here.