California Prohibits the Sale of Fur Products - National Humane Education Society

Paws Up! California becomes first state in US to outlaw the sale fur products.

March 21, 2023

California made history as the first US state to ban the sale of fur products. Assemblymember Laura Friedman authored Assembly Bill 44, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019. The bill went into effect on January 1, 2023. It is now unlawful to import fur products into the state for commercial purposes, to possess fur products to sell, or to sell fur products within the state. This new law also outlaws producing a fur product in California and selling it to other states. Examples of fur products include handbags, shoes, hats, earmuffs, scarves, gloves, jewelry, toys, and home accessories made entirely or partially of fur.

However, this new law does not include leather, cowhide, deerskin, sheepskin, goatskin, or pelts. It also would not affect a fur product used for religious purposes or a fur product for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual practices by Native American tribes. This law does not affect fur products that are used or already owned. The first violation of this law would result in up to a $500 penalty and can reach up to $1,000 for violations repeated in the same year.

Animals farmed for fashion are doomed to suffer a fully caged life. These animals are kept in tiny cages that restrict them from moving freely. Not to mention that they are also stacked on top of one another. Animals farmed for fur also face inhumane slaughter practices to keep their pelts from being damaged. The smaller animals are gassed in boxes, and some are skinned alive if that gas does not work. Larger animals are anally or vaginally electrocuted, while others are poisoned, suffocated, or beaten to death.

Animals farmed for fur have been living grim lives for far too long, and now California’s new law is a beacon of hope for countless animals. Fur farms are already illegal in countries like Norway, Croatia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic. It is about time the rest of the United States shows the same level of compassion as these other countries.

Read more about fur factory farms here.