SUNBURY — An official with the North American Animal Liberation Press Office said he believed Saturday’s release of mink near Sunbury should not be a surprise to fur farms.
Joseph Buddenberg, a press officer with the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, said he believed the farm was targeted for the second time in just more than a year.
According to the website at the time, animalliberationpressoffice.org, an anonymous letter was posted to the site claiming responsibility for the attack.
Buddenburg told The Daily Item Saturday he was not surprised that 500 to 900 mink were set free at the Richard Stahl Fur Farm, just outside of Sunbury.
“Very few people get caught,” he said. “The fur industry will continue to be opposed because many people value life over profit.”
The fur farm was the victim of vandals last September when thousands of mink were released. No one has been charged in connection with the crime to date.
“This break in that just occurred should come as no surprise,” Buddenberg said. “These farms are constantly raided, so every fur farmer should expect it.”
Police have charged Christopher Legere, 25, and Cara Mitrano, 27, both of Massachusetts, in Saturday’s incident and they are being held in Northumberland County Jail in lieu of $150,000 cash each after being arraigned in front of on-call district judge Bill Zalinski.
Legere and Mitrano have been charged with agricultural vandalism, criminal mischief, damage to property, theft of unlawful taking, cruelty to animals, burglary and criminal trespass.
“These two are innocent until proven guilty,” Buddenberg said. “ So I won’t speak on that, but I will continue to follow the story and they will get their day in court.”
Challis Hobbs, executive director of the Fur Commission USA, said most of the mink have been recovered.
“Last September, thousands of mink were released into the wild during a similar attack,” he said. “Since then, farmers across the country have been subjected to numerous instances of harassment, trespassing and threats by radical animal rights activists.”
Hobbs said the arrests were a win for farmers who are targeted by extremist groups.
“Farmers face ongoing harassment, trespassing, and threats while simply doing their jobs,” he said. “Under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA), anyone who engages in conduct aimed at damaging or interfering with an animal enterprise is legally considered a terrorist. We’re grateful authorities are treating these actions seriously.”
State police at Stonington are investigating both incidents.