TUSCARAWAS TWP. – The owner of a western Stark County mink farm said most of the animals released last week by a trespasser have been safely recovered or never left the property.
Dennis Tonn of Tonn’s Mink Farm said about 600 of the approximately 2,000 mink are missing after “an act of domestic terrorism” early July 3 at his longtime business on Pigeon Run Road SW.
“Someone cut a hole in the (fencing) and let ’em out,” Tonn said in a brief July 7 interview at his property. “It’s hard enough to make a living without this (expletive), you know.”
The incident was a first since the operation opened in 1964, said Tonn, who runs the business with his son, Tim.
A similar incident in November 2022 involving a reported 1,000 animals being released did not take place at his farm, Tonn said, noting that it happened at a Wayne County farm.
Mink are common in Ohio
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, mink are common in Ohio, mainly within eastern and southeastern counties.
They typically live in wooded areas near streams, rivers, lakes or ponds, and feed on birds, frogs, eggs, fish and crayfish.
The animals are considered valuable furbearers and resemble weasels or ferrets.
“The mink is prized by the trapper both for its pelt and for the great skill required to capture it,” according to the agency’s website.
Adult mink can weigh up to 3 pounds and are between 12 and 17 inches long. They can live to be 5 years old, but usually live three to four years.
Stark County Sheriff’s Office investigating mink release
Tonn said he immediately called the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and FBI early July 3 when he noticed the missing mink and related damage to his property.
“It was probably (animal) activists or something like that,” he speculated.
The Fur Commission USA issued has denounced the mink release as an “attack.”
“Let’s be clear — this was not an act of compassion. This was a criminal act that harmed animals, put farm families at risk, and broke the law,” Executive Director Challis Hobbs said in a prepared statement.
“Releasing farm-raised mink into the wild guarantees suffering and death. Most won’t survive more than 24 to 48 hours. These attacks destroy property, threaten livelihoods, and leave families fearing for their safety.”
Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mark Maskaluk said July 8 that authorities responded to Tonn’s farm on July 3, but they have no leads or suspects.
“We are looking for that. Right now, we have nothing,” Maskaluk said. “Hopefully we can come up with something.”
The North American Animal Liberation Press Office also issued a statement crediting activists for releasing the mink in Stark County.
“The animals liberated …. have a fighting chance at life; they faced a 100% death rate if they stayed on the farm,” it said.
Reach Steven Grazier at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @sgrazierINDE
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘Domestic terrorism.’ Mink farmer upset after 2,000 animals released from his Stark farm
Reporting by Steven M. Grazier, Massillon Independent / The Repository
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