SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Sundhedsudvalget 2020-21
SUU Alm.del Bilag 203
Offentligt

Eliminating a potential reservoir of

SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms

Position Paper - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus

on EU fur farms

The global COVID-19 pandemic has led to high mortality, sickness and unprecedented

damage to our economy. Our healthcare system is overburdened, levels of unemployment

are rising and people’s everyday lives have been extraordinarily disrupted by this emerging,

deadly zoonotic disease.

While the EU has taken some important steps to co-ordinately mitigate the impact of the

disease, one aspect of the pandemic that has thus far not received a sufficiently

harmonised response is with regard to the continuing outbreaks of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

on European fur farms. These pose a threat to human health not only for those working

with mink occupationally, but also for those living in the vicinity of fur farms, especially if

medically vulnerable, and have potential implications at European level for COVID-19

diagnosis, treatment and vaccine development.

We understand that the Commission is currently preparing a working paper on the issue of

COVID-19 and mink production. With this position paper, we hope to contribute to this

process. It outlines the key issues at stake with respect to COVID-19 and fur farming and

makes various

recommendations to ensure that the production of fur does not

impede efforts to eradicate this disease by preserving a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, or

undermining the efficacy of future vaccines.

1 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Detection of new SARS-CoV-2 variants related to mink 12

November 2020. ECDC Stockholm 2020.

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Background

Since April 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 in American mink

Neovison vison

was

confirmed on a Dutch fur farm, the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has

continued to rage throughout farmed mink herds in various EU Member States. To date,

the virus has been detected in mink on 290 mink farms in Denmark, 70 in the Netherlands,

10 in Sweden, 10 in Greece, 1 in Spain, 1 in Italy, 1 in France, 1 in Lithuania and a still

undefined number in Poland. This is despite strict biosecurity measures supposedly having

been taken by fur farmers to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 among their herds.

It has also become evident that SARS-CoV-2 is capable of jumping back and forth between

humans and mink, with potential for the virus to mutate in mink prior to re-infecting

people. Farm workers infected with COVID-19 appear to be the initial source of infection in

mink herds. Mustelid species, such as mink, seem to be particularly susceptible to the virus.

One of the features of SARS-CoV-2 is that it has a special attraction for cells in the

respiratory systems of mink, just as with people.

As a result, symptomatic, sick mink most

likely will experience severe respiratory distress before dying. This also makes COVID-19

infection an animal welfare problem.

The welfare of animals on fur farms is already poor. The housing systems in which mink -

ostensibly undomesticated animals that lead a solitary existence in the wild - are kept

provide no opportunity to satisfy these basic needs, such as a strong desire to range,

forage for food, swim and engage in social and breeding behaviour. Such unnatural

confinement can result in frustration and crippling mental distress, expressed in

stereotypical behaviour, such as pacing or auto-mutilation, and aggression towards and

injury to cage mates. These symptoms are regularly seen on fur farms across Europe,

despite industry assurances that they have been working to improve and have high levels

of animal welfare.

Indeed, the breeding of animals for the purposes of fur production is opposed by a growing

number of European countries. Fur farming has already been prohibited and/or is presently

being phased out in 8 Member States including Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands,

Luxembourg, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Croatia. Legislative proposals to ban

fur farming are currently also under consideration, or have been announced, in 6 countries

including Poland, Lithuania, France, Ireland, Bulgaria and Estonia. In addition to these fur

farming bans and industry phase-outs, Germany adopted stricter regulations, which have

effectively eliminated the breeding of all animals for fur Sweden similarly eliminated fox

and chinchilla production in this way. Denmark has also prohibited and is phasing out the

breeding of foxes on animal welfare grounds. Hungary has also just announced a ban on

mink, fox, ferret and coypu production as a precautionary measure due to animal welfare

and COVID-19 concerns to prevent fur producers from moving their operations there.

2 HSVMA Statement on Fur-Farmed Animals and the Risk of Disease

3 Humane Society International 2019 The Five Freedoms and the International Fur Trade

4 https //animainternational.org/blog/goreczki-investigation

5 https //kormany.hu/hirek/ujabb-fontos-lepes-az-allatok-vedelmeert

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Given that mink are already stressed from their unnatural living conditions and being kept

intensively in large groups in wire cages, this stress, which suppresses the immune system,

may also make them more susceptible to infectious diseases. Additionally, the bedding

used in these cages as well as the dried faeces under the cages - generates a lot of dust,

which creates opportunities for the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between the animals and

to people working on the fur farms.

Developments in the Netherlands

Nearly three million mink have already been preventatively culled as a result of

SARS-CoV-2 being detected on fur farms in the Netherlands. All mink on affected fur

farms have been swiftly killed and a rapid warning system established to identify possible

new cases. After more than forty cases and steadily growing public health concerns, the

Dutch government finally decided to effectuate the early closing of the mink sector,

which was already being phased-out due to a ban that would have fully entered into

force on 1

January 2024. The current mink fur production cycle will, therefore, be the

very last.

One of the key reasons that precipitated this political decision were the findings of

scientific research into the Dutch mink farm outbreaks. Using whole genome sequencing

to investigate outbreaks on 16 fur farms, the researchers found that, after the detection

of SARS-CoV-2 on mink farms, 66 of 97 67% persons occupationally associated with

these farms tested were shown to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Crucially, genetic

analysis showed that the mutated variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus were the same as those

found in mink, and were not identical to those found in unrelated SARS-CoV-2 patients

living in the vicinity of farms.

Developments in Denmark

In Denmark, COVID-19 was first detected on a mink farm in June 2020. The animals on

this and the next two affected farms were preventatively culled, but the competent

authorities decided to cease culling after the third and instead to rely on strict

biosecurity measures. This decision was later reversed when, by September, the

disease had rapidly spread to dozens more farms bringing the total to around 60. The

continued spread of the virus indicates that biosecurity measures were insufficient to

prevent further transmission of the disease.

6 M. Koopmans 2020 SARS-CoV-2 and the human-animal interface outbreaks on mink farms. The Lancet, Infect Dis 2020

7 Bas B. Oude Munnink et al 2020 Jumping back and forth anthropozoonotic and zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 on

mink farms

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

A cull of mink on around 100 of the 1147 Danish fur farms, primarily in the north of

Denmark, was set in motion in early October with animals on farms within a 7.8km radius of

COVID-19 positive ones also being killed. It was at this point that experts from the State

Serum Institute noted that fur farmers had a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 than

doctors and nurses.

Matters escalated a few weeks later when a new mink variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was

detected. It was feared that this Covid-19 mutation moving from mink to humans could

jeopardise future vaccines. In short, the genetic mutations found and dubbed Cluster 5 -

affected the part of the virus where spike-proteins bind to the so-called ACE-2 receptors,

which are an important first step in infections taking hold. The vaccines under

development focus on making antibodies to these very spike-proteins.

It became known that 12 people in northern Denmark had already been infected with this

dangerously mutated virus. Half of 783 infected people in this region, where many fur farms

are situated, had been found to have had infections stemming from the mink farms.

In response to these findings, on 4

November 2020, the Danish government announced

the radical step of culling all mink on the remaining fur farms and a temporary ban on mink

production in the country. With a population of up to 17 million farmed mink, this highlights

the enormity of the problem and the need to take decisive action to eliminate the reservoir

of SARS-CoV-2 and dangerous mutations of the virus. 

8 https //landbrugsavisen.dk/k%C3%A5re-m%C3%B8lbak-minkavlere-har-st%C3%B8rre-coronarisiko-end-l%C3%A6ger-og-sygeplejersker

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

COVID-19 and other fur farmed species

To date, the focus of research, testing and political debate with regard to COVID-19 has

primarily focused on mink farming. We, however, note that other species are also exploited

for fur production in Europe, in particular foxes and raccoon dogs. It is unclear what

measures have been taken by the Member States where the breeding of these species is

still permitted to monitor and test them for COVID-19. It is known that raccoon dogs are

susceptible to coronaviruses and that this species may have been an intermediate host for

the SARS-CoV virus.

A more recent scientific paper has concluded that this species is

susceptible to and can efficiently transmit SARS-CoV2 and may serve as intermediate host

for this virus too.

With respect to foxes, researchers in China found red foxes sold on a wildlife market to

have been infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Scientists found that fox host cell binding sites were

capable of binding to SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and SARS-CoV, which causes

SARS.

No studies have been yet conducted with regard to the susceptibility of chinchilla

for the virus, but it cannot be excluded that they pose a possible risk.

9 Y. Guan, B. J. Zheng, Y. Q. He, et al., Isolation and characterization of viruses related to the SARS coronavirus from animals in

southern China, Science 302, 276-278 2003 .

10 https //www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.19.256800v1

11 Wang, M., Jing, H. Q., Xu, H. F., Jiang, X. G., Kan, B., Liu, Q. Y., ... & Yan, M. Y. 2005 . Surveillance on severe acute respiratory

syndrome associated coronavirus in animals at a live animal market of Guangzhou in 2004. Zhonghua liu xing bing xue zazhi=

Zhonghua liuxingbingxue zazhi, 26 2 , 84-87.

12 Luan, J., Lu, Y., Jin, X., & Zhang, L. 2020 . Spike protein recognition of mammalian ACE2 predicts the host range and an

optimized ACE2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Biochemical and biophysical research communications

13 CDC, COVID-19 Recommendations for Pet Stores, Pet Distributors, and Pet Breeding Facilities

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Rationale for taking harmonised action on EU mink farms

It is evident that mink and most likely also raccoon dog - farming creates a potential

reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 and future strains of this coronavirus. Decisive action must be

taken to mitigate this present risk and to preclude risks in the future.

Prevent the establishment of SARS-CoV-2 reservoirs

From a public health perspective, the continued presence of mink farms in Europe would

serve to maintain reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 within human communities. Moreover, genetic

mutations in the virus in mink, which have already been seen in Denmark, may affect our

ability to halt the spread of and eliminate the disease and undermine the efficacy of any

future vaccine. Or could potentially even be the cause of a new pandemic. It is therefore

necessary to eliminate this viral reservoir to avoid undermining efforts to control and

eradicate COVID-19.

Flaws in national surveillance programmes

Another concerning discovery is that Member States do not necessarily know exactly how

many fur farms exist within their borders. In mid-October, the Danish Veterinary and Food

Authority gave the figure of 1137 mink farms on their website, while a month later the

number had increased to 1147. Likewise, the Swedish authorities do not seem to know just

how many fur farms there are still in existence there with the total varying between 34 and

40. This raises serious concerns about the ability of the competent authorities to

effectively implement a COVID-19 surveillance programme, let alone carry out animal

welfare checks on mink farms throughout the production cycle and at the time of killing.

Under the terms of Regulation EC 1099/2009, fur farmers are obliged to inform the

authorities before commencing slaughter to provide the opportunity for inspection.

Risks to native biodiversity

The continued existence of this disease reservoir also poses a risk to native wildlife.

American mink is an invasive alien species. Fur farms have always been the key pathway of

the introduction thereof and this species has long been implicated in the displacement of

native mammals and biodiversity loss. If infection by SARS-CoV-2 spills into wild mustelids,

these have the potential to become a permanent reservoir of infection for humans and

other animal species. Such a scenario has been seen before with rabies in raccoons and

skunks.

In some countries, this could also pose a risk to the European mink, which is a

critically endangered species and extinct in most of its original range, partly due to

competition with the invasive American mink.

14 C. Manes et al 2020 Could Mustelids spur COVID-19 into a panzootic?

15 Maran, T., Skumatov, D., Gomez, A., Põdra, M., Abramov, A.V. & Dinets, V. 2016. Mustela lutreola. The IUCN Red List of

Threatened Species 2016 e.T14018A45199861.

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Animal welfare

As animal protection organisations, we do not relish the prospect of millions of animals

being killed. On the other hand, it is worth noting that these animals were only born to live

short, miserable lives in confinement in order to be gassed to death to produce fur, a luxury

product that no-one actually needs and for which there are many humane alternatives.

Indeed, both the animal welfare and ethical problems associated with breeding animals for

fur have already led many EU Member States to prohibit and phase-out the practice.

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Recommendations

In view of the disease risks as well as inherent animal welfare problems - posed by the

continued operation of mink fur farms in Europe,

we strongly advocate the permanent

closure of such operations.

However, we recognise that emergency and proportionate EU

action is urgently needed to prevent the risk of maintaining reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 and

of jeopardising the effectiveness of the vaccines under development. Given the devastating

economic and social crisis caused by the pandemic, the risk of a mutated virus

compromising the effectiveness of vaccines for humans cannot be afforded.

Notwithstanding proposals to end fur farming at a national level, in the interim we call on

the European Commission to swiftly adopt the following

emergency actions

to ensure a

harmonised approach to the mink and COVID-19 issue in the EU

●

We urge the Commission to take a precautionary approach and suspend mink

production throughout the Union. This would necessarily entail that no breeding

or restocking of mink farms where animals have been culled - takes place for at

least as long as the SARS-CoV-2 virus persists. In the event of infectious animal

disease outbreaks, including zoonoses, the Commission has the necessary powers,

to adopt protective emergency measures.

●

All cross-border transportation of live mink within the EU should be prohibited and

Member States should prohibit the transport of live mink between farms for the

same period.

The import of live mink to EU Member States from non-EU countries, as well as the

export of live mink outside the EU, should be prohibited for the same period.

The export and import of raw mink pelts both within the EU and to/from third

countries should be prohibited for the same period.

Until all mink farms have ceased operating, Member States should be required to

implement a mandatory COVID-19 programme to diagnostically test with

mandatory genome sequencing mink and other fur farmed species, such as

raccoon dogs

and foxes, including the compulsory registration of all operations

engaged in fur farming.

Ensure that all culling of mink is conducted under the supervision of the competent

authorities.

Ensure that proportionate financial support is made available exclusively to cover

costs of dismantling of mink farm operations, professional retraining and assistance

with transitioning to other non-animal activities.

Adopt preventive restrictions on the breeding, transport and live export/import of

live raccoon dogs and foxes, plus raw furskins from these species, to also eliminate

any potential risk of disease transmission from trade involving these species.

●

16 Susceptibility of Raccoon Dogs for Experimental SARS-CoV-2 Infection - Volume 26, Number 12 December 2020 -

Emerging Infectious Diseases journal - CDC

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU

Contacts

Dr Joanna Swabe

Senior Director of Public Affairs

Humane Society International/Europe

[email protected]

Joh Vindig

Chair

Fur Free Alliance FFA

[email protected]

Ilaria Di Silvestre

Programme Leader Wildlife

Eurogroup for Animals

[email protected]

Humane Society International/Europe

Fur Free Alliance

Eurogroup for Animals

December 2020

Image credits

Eliminating a potential reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 virus on EU fur farms - December 2020

SUU, Alm.del - 2020-21 - Bilag 203: Henvendelse af 8/1-21 fra Dyrenes Beskyttelse og ANIMA om stop for minkproduktion i EU