California the first state in the nation to ban the sale of new fur products

By Soben Pin

SACRAMENTO, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law last week, a sweeping legislation to fight animal cruelty and promote animal welfare. California is the first state in the country to ban the sale of new fur products. Furthermore, the law also states it is
“unlawful to manufacture, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, give donate or otherwise distribute a fur product in the state. The prohibition would apply to clothing, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, or key chains that contain fur and provides for a civil penalty for each violation”. This new law would exempt leather, cowhide and shearling. It will go into affect in 2023.

Included in a package of the bills to ban the sale of new fur products, the legislation also bans animals used in circus acts such as elephants, bears and tigers, and prohibits hunting, trapping, or killing bobcats in California.

“California is a leader when it comes to animal welfare and today that leadership includes banning the sale of fur,” said Governor Newsom. “But we are doing more than that. We are making a statement to the world that beautiful wild animals like bears and tigers have no place on trapeze wires or jumping through flames. Just YouTube the videos showing the cruel way these animals – often stripped from their mothers as babies – are trained to do dangerous tricks. It’s deeply disturbing.”