Workers have recaptured 41 of 45 mink freed by animal rightists who broke into a mink-fur research cooperative early Friday.
No arrests have been made.Chris Falco, general manager of the co-op in the south part of Salt Lake County, said the vandals opened cages, left the gate ajar and sprayed "ALF" (Animal Liberation Front) in black paint on a door.
"It wasn't too bad," Falco said. "The biggest damage they did was on our diet experiments."
The co-op has 100 minks, which are fed different diets of egg, fish and chicken parts to determine which feeds produce the silkiest pelts.
The Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade said in a news release issued in Memphis, Tenn., that 50 to 75 minks were set free.
"Either way, I'm glad four got away," said J.P. Goodwin, spokesman for the group.
Falco said the four likely will starve.