Animal rights groups came out to San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday in support of a proposal to ban the sales of fur apparel.
Animal rights groups came out to San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday in support of a proposal to ban the sales of fur apparel and accessories in The City.
The proposal, sponsored by Supervisor Katy Tang, would ban the sales of fur apparel, including, but not limited to items such as handbags and key chains.
Tang said during the Board of Supervisors Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee that the passage of Berkeley’s own ordinance last year inspired her to introduce her own proposal:
“Fur farming has just gotten to the point where animals are living in cramped spaces. They are electrocuted some of them.”
Tang added:
“I don’t think we should be profiting off the backs of animals, literally.”
West Hollywood also has a ban on selling fur apparel, which has been in effect since 2013.
Skip Pas, owner of West Coast Leather, said his store would be affected by the proposal because his store does carry fur trims and accessories. Pas said he would lose 10 percent of sales if his store could not sell the fur products anymore.
Ashley Byrne, with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the organization has witnessed the mistreatment of animals through investigations on fur farms, and urged city officials to join West Hollywood and Berkeley in banning the sale of fur products:
“This is a progressive city so let’s show this by taking this step and inspiring other cities across the country to take similar action to protect animals.”
Tang made a few amendments to the proposed legislation, including changing the effective date to Jan. 1, 2019, and included the sales of used fur products and manufacturing of products using used furs into the proposed legislation.
The proposed legislation will return to the board committee for a vote and then later at the full Board of Supervisors next month.
After the committee meeting, Tang joined animal rights activists outside at the City Hall steps in rally supporting the proposed legislation.
Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.
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This ban is a wonderful idea. The fur industry is fraught with abuse and should be stopped. Fur is dead!
Yes! There is no excuse for selling fur–the product of such misery for animals.
Bravo for Supervisor Tang. The fur industry trades in cruelty.
As a proud San Franciscan, I completely support Katy Tang’s ban on fur. The perverse fur industry suffocates, poisons, electrocutes, bludgeons, and bleeds to death dogs, cats, foxes, minks, rabbits and other animals for their hair and it is WRONG.