West Hollywood, California, (population: 36,000) has decided to become the first city to completely ban the sale of fur coats and any other clothing that features animal fur. The five-member city council is expected to officially adopt a measure approved unanimously on September 20 that outlaws the sale of any garment made “in whole or part from the pelt or skin of an animal with its hair, wool or fur.” The law would take effect on June 30, 2012, giving the city’s almost 100 apparel stores that sell fur items time to unload their soon-to-be-illegal merchandise.

 

The sale of leather will still be allowed, and vintage garments are expected to be exempted once the final version of the law is prepared. 

 

In 2003, West Hollywood became the first U.S. city to ban cat declawing.

 

Consumers of fur products are not expected to suffer since fur clothing is easy to find in the city that borders West Hollywood: Beverly Hills.

-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky

 

West Hollywood Nears Approval of First Fur Ban in U.S. (by Jason Kandel, Reuters)

West Hollywood Sheds Fur Sales (by Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times)

West Hollywood to Ban Sale of Fur Garments (by Ian Lovett, New York Times)