Over fear of bird flu outbreak, IL lawmakers want to regulate the mink trade

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A bill filed by a State House Democrat would add regulations on an unregulated minx fur trade in Illinois.

A key worry with unregulated mink farms is the spread of disease. According to advocates, mink's have a similar lung system to humans. So, if disease spreads among mink's it could potentially jump to humans.

The plan would test minks weekly on two virus that have gotten a decent amount of coverage, the bird flu H5N1 and COVID-19. It would also require the four mink farms in Illinois to have a license to continue their trade.

"They're simply not regulated by anyone," Marc Ayers Illinois Director for The Humane Society of the U.S. said. "Nothing in the state and nothing at the federal level. We know literally nothing of what goes on inside a mink farm."

A spokesperson for the U.S. fur commission travelled from Idaho to speak at the bills committee hearing. However, he was skipped and didn't get a chance to testify in front of the public health committee. During a different bill hearing, the man stood up and said the mink fur trade was unfairly represented by the supporters of the legislation.

The bill passed out of the public health committee on a partisan 5-3 vote. It now heads to the house floor where lawmakers could talk about it in the near future.