Animal welfare groups cheer San Francisco ban on fur

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco supervisors voted unanimously to ban the sale of fur, further burnishing the city’s animal-loving credentials as it becomes the largest US city to approve the prohibition.

Animal welfare advocates around the world cheered the news of Tuesday’s vote, applauding the city for its compassion and hoping that the legislation would catch on.

The ban takes effect Jan 1 next year and applies to apparel and accessories featuring real fur, including coats, key chains and gloves.

An amendment added on Tuesday allows furriers and other retailers to sell current inventory until Jan 1, 2020.

Wayne Hsiung, co-founder of animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere, said in a statement on Tuesday that “this historic act will usher in a new wave of animal rights legislation across the globe”.

Retailers in San Francisco, however, balked at what they called another social mandate at the cost of their ability to make a living.

“It should be a citywide public vote. It shouldn’t be decided by the Board of Supervisors,” said Skip Pas, chief executive officer of West Coast Leather, which sells fur-trimmed items but deals largely in leather.

San Francisco, named for the patron saint of animals, has a reputation for a strong social conscience, often at a cost to businesses.

Its board banned the sale of menthol cigarettes and other flavoured tobacco, which voters will consider in June.

In 2016, San Francisco approved what was then a groundbreaking paid parental leave law, requiring private employers to offer six weeks of fully paid leave.

Katy Tang, the supervisor behind the fur ban legislation, has successfully pushed to prohibit performances by exotic animals and forbid the sale of non-rescue cats and dogs from pet stores.

Mayor Mark Farrell said he planned to sign the legislation.

About 50 clothing and accessory retailers downtown would be affected by the legislation, said Jim Lazarus, senior vice-president of public policy at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

Reselling vintage and used fur by outlets not usually in the business of trading fur, such as secondhand stores, pawn shops and nonprofits, will still be allowed.

The chamber estimates that San Francisco fur sales account for at least US$40mil (RM156mil) a year.

The city says even if sales numbers are much higher than its estimate, a prohibition is unlikely to significantly harm the overall local economy.