State police allege that unknown individuals cut breaches in a fence surrounding a farm north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, resulting in the escape of hundreds of minks into the wild.
On Sunday, the Stonington Police were summoned to a mink farm in Rockefeller Township to investigate a report of criminal mischief. At this time, several state agencies and farm workers are still working on collecting the mink that fled the fence.
According to a police investigation, the victim informed detectives that holes were cut in the fence of his mink farm overnight. Consequently, approximately 6,000-8,000 minks were freed from their pens. The report does not specify the number of minks that escaped their enclosures.
The adjacent Sunbury Animal Hospital stated later that they now estimate the figure to be in the hundreds.
In a Facebook post, the organization stated that it is collaborating with the Game Commission to remove the mink from our community effectively. They also mentioned receiving new information. As previously reported, the number of minks on the loose is estimated to be several hundred, not thousands.
State Senator Lynda Schlegel Culver mentioned that she, along with Republican state Representative Michael Stender, has set up a phone line for Northumberland County residents to report stray minks on their property.
As per a statement from Culver’s office, live minks can pose a danger by potentially biting. Authorities advise residents to avoid approaching minks or attempting to catch them unless they utilize a safe and effective trap.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Richard Stahl Fur Farm, where the minks were penned, is one of the few remaining mink pelt manufacturers in the state.
A mink can be seen in a video running along the center yellow line of the road in Northumberland County.
Two minks gather near a trap in a different part of the video.
The police stated they have no idea about the motivations of individuals potentially involved in releasing the minks.
