San Francisco Becomes First U.S. Major City To Ban Sale Of Fur
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco has become the first major U.S. city to ban the sale of fur clothing and products.
Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a measure that prohibits the sale of fur clothes, accessories, even souvenirs in stores and online.
Fur items purchased online cannot even be delivered to a San Francisco address.
The ban will not apply to second hand stores and charities.
Supervisor Katy Tang authored the measure.
"It is estimated that around the world some 50 million animals are slaughtered in gruesome ways so that we can wear their fur and look fashionable," Supervisor Katy Tang told the San Francisco Chronicle. "My hope is that it will send a strong message to the rest of the world."
Retailers in the city's fashionable Union Square district expressed frustration leading up to Tuesday's vote.
"This is big business for us in Union Square. This will seriously impact us," said Karen Flood, executive director of the Union Square Business Improvement District. She told the San Francisco Examiner that "retailers are struggling."
There are at least 50 retailers in Union Square that carry fur clothing products. Fur sales in the city are estimated at an annual $40 million, according to the Chamber of Commerce.
Retailers have until January 2020 to sell off their existing fur inventory.
There are already similar bans in West Hollywood and Berkeley.
