The manufacture and sale of fur products is now banned in California, according to new legislation signed over the weekend by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The bills signed into law by the Democrat governor also ban most animals from performing in circuses, according to a report by The Hill.
On Saturday, the governor announced the bans on Twitter:
California is officially the first state in the nation to ban the sale of new fur clothing. https://t.co/DktoKYYPww
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) October 12, 2019
In a press release Saturday, Newsom said the package of bills will “fight animal cruelty and promote animal welfare” and called the move “groundbreaking.”
The governor also commented on the state’s decision to ban most animals, such as elephants and bears, from performing in circuses.
Newsom commented:
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.
Reports said that although the fur ban is set to take effect in 2023, consumers will still be able to buy and sell used fur products, according to The Mercury News.
The article stated this will allow stores “more than two years to sell any furs they still have in their inventory. After that, manufacturers and retailers will face fines of $500 to $1,000 for every new fur item they are caught with.”
However, Arnold Surfas, the owner of Surfas Ltd. Furriers in Orange County, said the legislation unfairly targets the fur industry and noted that the ban does not apply to imitation furs made from synthetic materials which is contrary to the state’s push to reduce plastic waste.
“They didn’t do their homework from the legislative side. We are low-hanging fruit,” Surfas commented, adding that “It’s going to hurt me, but it’s not going to kill me.”
On Saturday, Assembleymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who wrote the bill banning fur, praised the new legislation:
Today CA made history – #AB44 was signed into law! After decades of efforts from animal welfare advocates, we are now the first state in the nation to ban fur. CA has no place for the inhumane & unsustainable treatment of animals. Now for other states to follow in our legacy. pic.twitter.com/1WVtz517ig
— Laura Friedman (@laurafriedman43) October 12, 2019
“Now for other states to follow in our legacy,” she concluded.
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