Hi friends! Reef the fox here with this week’s “Reef’s Report.”
Holy smokes, crazy, wild good news out of Washington, D.C. last week! On Feb. 4, the U.S. House of Representatives included a provision to ban mink farming throughout the United States. Can you believe it?
This is amazing, unreal and incredible. My little foxy paws can’t type fast enough to properly convey how excited I am about this. Mink farming — any farming of animals for so-called fashion — is outdated, inhumane and cruel. I am so happy my mink friends are on their way to becoming free of harm here in the United States.
USDA reported 2.7 million pelts sold in 2019, and 1.4 million mink pelts sold in 2020. According to a review by Animal Wellness Action, there are just 60 farms operating in the U.S. There is no domestic market for mink, and it is an export-market commodity only, with 80 percent of pelts sold to China.
“As one who grew up on and around mink farms, I can attest to the extreme aggression these creatures exhibit in their frustration with the miserable conditions on barren factory farm conditions,” said Scott Beckstead, director of campaigns for the Center for a Humane Economy.
So this is big, my friends, and hopefully this will open the door to all fur farms being banned here in the United States.
Now let’s talk about my momma. She was in Key West last Friday to accept an award from the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys along with so many other amazing members of the community down here. My friends, Jeanne Selander, Dr. Doug Mader DVM and Dr. Geraldine Diethelm DVM were also on hand as Dr. Diethelm accepted an award for her volunteer work at the Marathon Wild Bird Center. I have the coolest humans in my life.
This Saturday, Feb. 12, don’t forget to stop at One Grind Key Largo and meet Coral fox for the third “Coffee With Coral” event. One Grind is located at MM 98 between Tom Thumb and Ballyhoo’s in the median. Coral will be there from 10 to 11 a.m. that day to meet with you all. I think mom said she is going to have some cool stickers people can buy.
Anywho, that’s all for this week. Don’t forget to check us out at pawsitivebeginnings.org and you can email me with foxy questions at reef@pawsitivebeginnings.org.
Until next time, Reef, over and out!
