FUR LEGISLATION WORLDWIDE
Enacting fur legislation will significantly reduce the demand for fur. Fur production bans, fur retail sales bans, and fur farming bans are being passed in a growing number of countries, cites and states around the world. Check out the long list of succesful legislation that is helping to save fur-bearing animals worldwide.
LITHUANIA, SEPTEMBER 2023: Lithuania became the 20th country in Europe to ban fur farming. The law will go into effect in 2027.
FRANCE, NOVEMBER 2021: The French Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning the fur farming. The ban went into effect immediately and the two remaining mink farms were shut down. However, the farming of Orylag rabbits will still be legal.
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, NOVEMBER 2021: The Canadian province of British Columbia committed to ending its mink industry by 2025 after the Minister of Agriculture deemed mink farms pose a public health risk. In total, there are nine mink farms in B.C. and to date, there have been three outbreaks of COVID-19 on three of the farms. The closure of the mink industry does not affect the operations of two other fur farms - (fox and chinchilla) operating in the province.
IRELAND, OCTOBER 2021: Three mink fur farms will be closed in 2022 when a fur farming ban in Ireland goes into effect. Legislation to ban fur farming was introduced in 2019 but enacted in 2021 after COVID-19 outbreaks on mink fur farms. Ireland's three mink fur farms produced approximately 110,000 pelts per year.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, U.S., AUGUST 2021: Ordinance passed to ban the retail sale of new fur products. Michigan was a large fur-producing state and in 2020, an outbreak of COVID-19 on a mink fur farm occurred.
ESTONIA, JUNE 2021: The Eastern European country of Estonia voted to ban fur farming nationwide. The ban will come into effect in 2026, at which time all fur farms must be completely shut down. As of July 2021, no new fur farms are allowed to open in the country.
DENMARK, DECEMBER 2020: 17 million minks were culled in Denmark after COVID-19 outbreaks on over 200 mink fur farms in the country. Further, mink farming is banned in Denmark until 2023. Kopenhagen Furs, the largest fur auction house in the world, announced it would be closing in 2023.
HUNGARY, NOVEMBER 2020: Hungary banned the fur farming of minks, foxes, polecats and coypus amidst public health concerns. The decision was a preventative measure to stop fur farmers from setting up operations in Hungary after outbreaks of COVID-19 on mink fur farms worldwide. However, the farming of Chinchilla's continues in Hungary.
THE NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 2020: The Dutch government fast-tracked a fur ban to close down its mink fur farming industry by March 2021. The ban was scheduled to come into effect by 2024 but after 41 mink fur farms tested positive for COVID-19 and 2 million minks were culled, the Dutch government immediately enacted the legislation.
CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 2019: Governor Newsom signed AB 44 into law, making California the first state in the nation to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2023.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER, 2018: City Council voted unanimously to ban the sale of fur.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 2018: Third U.S. city to ban the sale of fur.
BERKELY, CALIFORNIA, MARCH 2018: Second U.S. city to ban the sale of fur.
NORWAY, JUNE 2018: The Norweigan government passed the Fur Farming Prohibition Act, intended to phase out fur farms by February 2025. In January 2023, the last two remaining fur farms in Norway closed down.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 2011: First city in the world to ban the sale of fur.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO BAN FUR
2013 FUR-FREE WEST HOLLYWOOD (WE HO)
West Hollywood, CA, also known as the "Humane Capital of the United States", is a leader in passing ground-breaking legislation in the area of animal welfare. In 1989, West Hollywood passed Resolution 558, making the city a "Cruelty-Free Zone" for animals by banning cosmetic testing and steel leg-hold traps. It was the first city in the U.S. to ban declawing of cats and is also one of the guardian cities where animals are referred to as companion animals, not pets. In 2010, West Hollywood banned the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores.
LCA, Shannon Keith, Ellen Lavinthal, Ed Buck, and fellow animal advocates, came together to ban the sale of fur in West Hollywood. After successfully completing a six-week campaign of weekly rallies and demonstrations leading up to the 2011 City Council elections, and visits to retail establishments carrying fur, some important objectives were met. Several stores voluntarily removed fur from their inventory, fur-free candidate John D’Amico was enthusiastically and overwhelmingly elected by the citizens of West Hollywood, and awareness was raised around the fur issue.
May 16, 2011 - Councilman John D’Amico introduced Ordinance # 11-877 to ban the sale of fur products in West Hollywood, CA.
September 20, 2011 - The ordinance was drafted and at 1:45am, the City Council voted 5-0 to pass the ordinance. The City Council still needed to hammer out some details, including when the ban will go into effect and what the penalties will be. Read the ABC 7 story here.
November 21, 2011 - On the second and final reading of the ordinance, three of West Hollywood’s City Council Members voted to officially pass the ordinance. Although Councilmember John Heilman voted against the ban and absent Councilmember Abbe abstained, Mayor John Duran, Mayor Pro Tempore Jeffrey Prang, and author of the ordinance Councilmember John D’Amico voted in favor of passing the legislation, therefore ensuring that the ban be set in motion. Click here to read the official minutes (2.E on page 11) of the council meeting passing the ordinance.
September 21, 2013 - Official implementation date of the Fur-Free Ban. The ordinance exempts used fur products sold by private parties (excluding retail transactions), non-profit organizations, and second-hand stores including pawn shops.
West Hollywood is the world's first city to ban the sale of fur apparel products, setting a precedent for the rest of the world to put an end to the needless suffering of fur-bearing animals solely for the purpose of vanity. The ordinance is the first of its kind in the United States.
 LCA presenting historic Resolution 558 to WeHo in 1989. Proclaiming the City of West Hollywood a Cruelty Free Zone |
 Council members Jeffery Prang and John D'Amico with Chris DeRose and Ellen Lavinthal at 9/20/2011 press conference announcing the historic vote to ban fur in West Hollywood |
HOW YOU CAN HELP FIGHT FUR
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Stay involved by signing up for LCA's email action alerts.
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Protest a fur store near you. Reach out to LCA if you need posters and/or brochures. Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 310-271-6096 x27.
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Contact your city, state, and federal officials and urge them to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur. Remember to keep communication respectful - check out LCA's tips for effective communication here. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
