JOIN THE FIGHT TO BAN FUR GLOBALLY
LCA is committed to fighting the sale and manufacture of fur around the globe. On animal fur farms, millions of mink, foxes, chinchillas, and raccoon dogs spend their lives in cages waiting to be murdered by electrocution or gas - all in the name of fashion. Together, with your help, we can stop the fur industry and create a compassionate fur-free world.
CAMPAIGN TIMELINE
April, 2023 (Ongoing) - Dillard's Department Store Campaign - TAKE ACTION HERE
Dillard's is the last major department store in the U.S. still selling fur. LCA, HSUS, Four Paws USA, and Born Free USA have joined forces to urge Dillard's to go fur-free. Dillard's has fallen behind its competitors that have all committed to stop selling fur - Macy's, Nordstrom, T.J. maxx, Kohl's Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. You can help - email the executive staff of Dillard's here and tell them it is time to go fur-free.
February, 2023 - LCA Joins the Fur-Free Retailer Program
As part of the Fur Free Alliance, LCA has joined the Fur-Free Retailer program, specifically targeting department stores and luxury brands that sell fur in the United States. More news to come on this program as it develops.
October 21, 2021 - Fur Free Alliance Global Fur Ban Petition Delivered to G20 Summit in Rome
The FFA delivered 880,457 signatures to the G20 summit in Rome - calling for an urgent global action by the G20 Leaders to ban fur farming. LCA's petition collected 72,536 of these signatures. LCA followed up the petition hand-off by submitting letters to Canada's President, Justin Trudeau, (link to letter) and Canada's G20 Representative (link to letter), urging them to ban fur farming. The letters included a White Paper on fur production and zoonotic disease.
Prior to the G20 meeting, LCA sent letters to Canada's G20 Representative (link to letter) and Minister of Health (link to letter) urging the Government of Canada to start discussions about banning fur farming ahead of the G20 summit in Rome.
December, 2020 - LCA Releases Video on Covid-19 Outbreaks on Mink Farms Worldwide
Mink and ferrets are susceptible to COVID-19. Mink can also act as a reservoir for the virus, meaning it is possible for humans to infect mink with COVID-19 and mink in turn can re-infect humans, sometimes picking up mutations along the way. COVID-19 spreads quickly in mink fur farms due to overcrowding and unsanitary conditions.
During 2020, there were outbreaks of COVID-19 on over 440 mink fur farms in twelve countries and over 200 people in Europe have gotten sick from a mink-related strain of the illness. Statistics from the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) show there have been 17 COVID-19 outbreaks on mink farms in Wisconsin, Utah, Michigan, and Oregon. In Canada, there have been three COVID-19 outbreaks at mink fur farms in British Columbia.
Warning: Graphic Content
April, 2020 - LCA joins the Fur Free Alliance (FFA)
LCA is part of the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), a global coalition of over 50 animal protection organizations, based in more than 35 countries around the world, working collaboratively to end the fur trade.
The coalition focuses on political, corporate and consumer campaigns to end the fur trade.
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- On a political level, FFA focuses on the expansion of national production bans in order to decrease supply.
- On a corporate level, FFA focuses on the Fur-Free Retailer program in order to decrease demand. LCA is an active member in the Fur-Free Retailer program and helps to campaign against department stores and brands that sell fur.
- On a consumer level, FFA focuses on raising awareness on the horrors of the fur industry in order to build the public's opposition to buying and wearing fur.
GLOBAL FUR LEGISLATION
A growing number of countries, states, provinces and municipalities around the world are passing precedent-setting legislation to ban fur. Here are the latest countries to adopt fur legislation that either bans the sale of new fur products or bans the farming/manufacturing of fur.
Lithuania 2023 - Fur farming ban passed with overwhelming support in the Parliament. Effective 2027.
Etna, Pennsylvania, U.S. 2023 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Lexington, Massachusetts, U.S. 2023 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Latvia 2022 - Fur farming ban passed. Efffective 2028.
Malta 2022 - Fur farming ban passed and efffective same year.
Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. 2022 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Plymouth, Massachusetts, U.S. 2022 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Israel 2021 - First nation to pass legislation banning new fur sales.
France 2021 - The French Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning fur farming of wild animals. The ban will come into effect immediately and the two remaining mink farms in France will be shut down. However, the farming of Orylag rabbits will still be legal.
British Columbia, Canada 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. In 2021, there were 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.
Italy 2021 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2022.
Estonia 2021 - Nationwide fur farming ban. The ban will come into effect in 2026, at which time all fur farms must be completely shut down. As of 2021, no new fur farms were allowed to open in the country.
Brookline, Massachusetts, U.S. 2021 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Hallandale Beach, Florida, U.S. 2021 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Boulder, Colorado, U.S. 2021 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Weston, Massachusetts, U.S. 2021 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. 2021 - Ann Arbor became the first city in the Midwest to ban the retail sale of new fur products. Michigan is a large fur-producing state and is the seventh highest fur producer in the U.S.
Denmark 2020 - During 2020, 17 million minks were killed 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 2020 - Hungary banned the fur farming of minks, foxes, polecats, and coypu 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 2020 - The Dutch government fast-tracked a 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 killed, the Dutch government immediately enacted the legislation in 2021.
Wellesley, Massachusetts, U.S. 2020 - Passed legislation banning the sale of new fur.
Norway 2019 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2025.
Slovakia 2019 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2025.
Ireland 2019 - Legislation to ban fur farming was passed in 2019, but became effective in 2021 (instead of the planned 2022 date) after COVID-19 outbreaks on mink fur farms. Ireland's three mink fur farms produced approximately 110,000 pelts per year. The ban contains povisions for a compensation package for the fur farmers.
California, U.S. 2019 - California became the first state in the nation to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products. Fur ban, AB 44, went into effect January 1, 2023.
Belgium 2018 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2023.
Luxembourg 2018 - Fur farming ban passed and effective same year.
Los Angeles, California, U.S. 2018 - Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to ban the sale of new fur products.
San Francisco, California, U..S 2018 - San Francisco became the third U.S. city to ban the sale of fur.
Berkely, California, U.S. 2018 - Berkely became the second U.S. city to ban the sale of fur.
Czechia 2017 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2019
North Macedonia 2014 - Fur farming ban passed and effective same year.
The Netherlands 2013 - The Dutch government fast-tracked the ban to close down its mink fur farming industry by March 2021 (instead of the scheduled effective date of 2024) after 41 mink fur farms tested positive for COVID-19 and 2 million minks were killed.
West Hollywood, California, U.S. 2011 - West Hollywood became the first city in America to ban the sale of fur. Go here to read details on this historic ban.
Bosnia & Herzegovina 2009 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2028.
Serbia 2009 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2019.
Croatia 2007 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2017.
Austria 2004 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2005.
Slovenia 2003 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2013.
United Kingdom 2000 - Fur farming ban passed. Effective 2003.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
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Stay involved by signing up for LCA's email action alerts.
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Follow us and share our posts on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
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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.
