Recent studies suggest that the virus was introduced to humans in at least two separate zoonotic transmission events at the Huanan market in Wuhan around November 2019. Raccoon dogs and red foxes were observed to be present at the market during the crucial period in late 2019 and many of these animals originated from fur farms in a region with extensive cave complexes housing Rhinolophus bats, which carry SARSrelated coronaviruses. Within the market, SARS-CoV-2-positive environmental samples were spatially associated with vendors selling live mammals. Given that these species are farmed in large numbers in China, are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, and were being sold at the relevant time in the relevant part of the market that is implicated in the origin of the pandemic, fur-farmed species must be considered leading candidates for the zoonotic origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, no testing and tracing of these animals has been reported. The reclassification of fur-farmed animals as ‘special livestock’ in order to exclude them from a ban on wildlife trading in China,together with an apparent reluctance to openly investigate their possible role in the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, may prevent us from learning vital lessons from the current pandemic and protecting ourselves from potential future pandemics.