Thousands of mink were roaming the countryside of northwestern Ohio in mid-November after vandals broke into a farm that raises the fur-bearing creatures and released up to 40,000 from their cages, according to authorities.
The animals overran nearby roads, and many were hit by passing vehicles, while hunters went after still more, local media in Van Wert County, Ohio, reported. The Delphos Herald said that workers at the farm, in Hoagland Township, were shooting at the animals as they ran across the property.
Sheriff Tom Riggenbach said in a news release that suspects destroyed fencing and released between 25,000 and 40,000 animals from their cages. He said the incident is being investigated as a case of vandalism and breaking and entering.
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He warned that mink “are carnivorous animals that stick to a diet of fresh kills,” regularly hunting animals larger than themselves. He urged homeowners, poultry farmers and others to stay away from the animals and call licensed trappers to corral them.
