A 100 thousand dollar reward is being offered in the case of those mink released from a Southern Ontario farm this past weekend.
A group calling themselves the mink freedom movement has claimed responsibility.
The Canada Mink Breeders Association has posted the reward for information leading to the capture and prosecution of those responsible.
President Marianne Patten calls it a cruel and irresponsible act.
A former CMBA president, Kirk Rankin, points out the 500 mink released are domesticated animals that have been raised on farms for more than 100 generations.
He argues they can't fend for themselves in the wild, so most will die.
Rankin says those that survive will endanger domesticated ducks or chickens in the region.
CMBA Executive Director Gary Hazlewood says his group fully supports the obligation to provide excellent care for the animals they raise and use.
However, he encourages anyone donating money to activist groups to do their research to be sure they know what they are supporting.
The value of Canadian fur exports topped 300 million dollars in 2015.
There are more than 200 mink farms across Canada.