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California governor signs circus animal ban

He also signed ban on the sale and manufacture of new fur products

By Associated Press
Published: October 12, 2019, 8:51pm
4 Photos
FILE -- In this Sept. 18, 2018 file photo protesters with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) hold signs to ban fur in Los Angeles prior to a news conference at Los Angeles City.  California will ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products and bar most animals from circus performances under a pair of bills signed Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
FILE -- In this Sept. 18, 2018 file photo protesters with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) hold signs to ban fur in Los Angeles prior to a news conference at Los Angeles City. California will ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products and bar most animals from circus performances under a pair of bills signed Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019 by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel,File) (Associated Press files) Photo Gallery

SACRAMENTO, Calif.  — California will be the first state to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products and the third to bar most animals from circus performances under a pair of bills signed Saturday by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The fur law bars residents from selling or making clothing, shoes or handbags with fur starting in 2023.

Animal rights groups cheered the measure as a stand against inhumane practices. The proposal was vigorously opposed by the billion-dollar U.S. fur industry, and the Fur Information Council of America has already threatened to sue.

It follows Newsom’s signing of legislation that makes California the first state to outlaw fur trapping and follows bans on sales of fur in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“California is a leader when it comes to animal welfare, and today that leadership includes banning the sale of fur,” Newsom said in a statement. “But we are doing more than that. We are making a statement to the world that beautiful wild animals like bears and tigers have no place on trapeze wires or jumping through flames.”

The fur ban doesn’t apply to used products or those used for religious or tribal purposes. And it excludes the sale of leather, dog and cat fur, cowhides, deer, sheep and goat skin and anything preserved through taxidermy.

It could mark a significant blow to the fur industry that makes products from animals including mink, chinchillas, rabbits and other animals. The U.S. retail fur industry brought in $1.5 billion in sales in 2014, the most recent data available from the Fur Information Council.

Under the California law, there is a fine of up to $1,000 for multiple violations.

Advocacy group Direct Action Everywhere said it’s working with activists to pass similar bills in cities nationwide, including Minneapolis and Portland, Ore., and it’s optimistic California’s law will spur action.

California joins New Jersey and Hawaii in banning most animals from circus performances.

The law exempts domesticated dogs, cats and horses and does not apply to rodeos.

Circuses have been declining in popularity for decades. The most well-known act, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, closed in 2017 after 146 years of performances.

State officials say at least two circuses that include live animals were scheduled to perform in California this year. At least 18 circuses don’t use animals, including Cirque du Soleil.

At first, critics warned the proposal was too broad and would impact county fairs, wildlife rescues or rehabilitation organizations. In response, lawmakers narrowed the definition of circus to include “a performance before a live audience in which entertainment consisting of a variety of acts such as acrobats, aerialists, clowns, jugglers, or stunts is the primary attraction or principal business.”

The law includes penalties of up to $25,000 per day for each violation.

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