Is San Francisco about to become the world’s first major city to ban the sale of fur?

San Francisco is on the cusp of making history by becoming the first major city in the world to ban the sale of fur.

On January 24, the city of San Francisco will consider implementing an anti-animal cruelty ordinance proposed by Supervisor Katy Tang, who says that the sale of fur is “incompatible with the city’s ethos of treating all living beings with kindness”.

“Many associate fur apparel with the idea of luxury, but the reality is far from luxurious—millions of animals around the world are raised inhumanely and killed each year just for their fur,” said Tang in a statement.

“There are so many ways to stay warm and look fashionable without having to harm animals,” she added.

Environmental impact

Impetus for a proposed ban on fur trade in San Francisco stems not only from an ethical position, but an environmental one, Tang said. According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), waste from fur farming contributes to air and water pollution which has a devastating effect on the planet.

The energy costs required to produce fur products is also a factor, according to the organization. “For each kilogram of factory farmed mink fur, 110 kilograms of carbon dioxide is produced—enough to drive a car from San Francisco to Denver.”

In its findings, the ordinance presents five reasons to pass the ban:

1. More than 50 million animals are killed violently for their fur every year.
2. Animals raised on fur farms typically spend their lives in cramped cages and are subject to cruel and filthy living conditions.
3. Fur farming contributes to water and air pollution.
4. Fur farming consumes significant quantities of energy.
5. The sale of fur products in San Francisco is inconsistent with the city’s ethos of treating all living beings with kindness.

Second-hand and vintage stores

The proposed legislation will exempt second-hand and vintage stores that already carry fur products, including “animal skins [that] are converted into leather.”

If the proposal is passed, San Francisco will join the likes of Berkely who voted in 2017 to ban sales of fur within city limits in a bid to help end the fur industry’s exploitation of animals.