Escaped Newfoundland mink return to cages

Almost all ofthe5,000 mink released from a Newfoundland farm have been recaptured and the province's veterinarian says there's littlechance the remaining escapees will spread disease to the island's animals.

There aren't any wild ferrets in the province and mink tend to be rather solitary animals, said Hugh Whitney, the chief veterinary officer in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Some of the 200 remaining fugitive animals are known carriers of Aleutian disease, which is common amongst farm-raised mink and can cause loss of appetite, weight loss, diarrhea and eventually death.

"I would think that the impact is going to be fairly minimal from that disease. There may be some wild mink affected but mink don't live in large clusters," Whitney said.

Police learned nearly 5,000 cages at a Trinity Bay mink farm were intentionally opened last week after receiving a call from a driver complaining about the number of animals on the road.

Licensed trappers in the area have turned over about 500 animals to the Department of Natural Resources, claiming a $50 bounty for each animal,offered todeal with the problem.

The bounty expires at midnight Sunday.

Employees on the farm have recaptured most of the rest of the animals.

"I think we're all getting pretty tired now; it was a pretty hectic few days but, I mean, it was an awful thing to happen — an awful thing," said Pauline Lambert, a supervisor at the facility.

There is no reason for the public to be concerned about the remaining free-roaming animals, said police.

The incident is still being investigated and no charges have been laid.