On one occasion, the pair freed a captive bobcat in Montana

Jul 27, 2015 13:36 GMT  ·  By

Just the other day, the FBI arrested a pair of animal rights activists who, between June and December 2013, went on a nationwide crusade and freed thousands of minks held captive at fur farms .

The animal rights activists, identified as Joseph Buddenberg, 31, and Nicole Kissane, 28, of Oakland, California, are said to have targeted farms in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

In 2013 alone, Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissane freed well over 5,000 minks. On one occasion, the California pair even targeted a fur farm in Montana and freed a bobcat held captive there.

Vandalism was also on the agenda, the FBI says

In the report explaining the animal rights activists' arrest, the FBI writes that, apart from attacking animal farms, Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissane are guilty of vandalizing whatever animal-related business they came across on their cross-country campaign.

Thus, the activists stand accused on having slashed the tires of a meat wagon, tried to flood the home of a fur auction employee in Wisconsin, vandalized fur stores and even the homes of fur store owners.

Quite proud of their work, Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissane would closely document their hits and then share photos and videos on social media platforms for other animal rights activists to see.

“To publicize their crimes, the defendants drafted ‘communiqués’ describing their conduct and posted them on websites associated with animal rights extremists,” the FBI details the pair's working agenda.

To elude authorities, the couple would not use their cellphones during their campaigns. To keep in touch with animal rights groups, they relied on encrypted emails. As for how they had the money to go around freeing minks, they got all the cash they needed selling things online.

“There are legal ways to make your opinions known”

Joseph Buddenberg and Nicole Kissane were arrested on account of the 2006 US Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which states that people are not to act in an illegal manner for the purpose of interfering with an animal enterprise.

“Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy wished to clarify in an interview. If found guilty of the charges filed against them, the pair risk 10 years in prison and $250,000 (€227,500) in fines.