WeHo One Step Closer to Fur Ban

City Council shows unanimous support at a meeting Monday night

A heated debate over fur sales spilled over into the early hours of Tuesday morning. The West Hollywood City Council voted 5 to 0 to support a ban.

That doesn’t mean it’s law because the meeting was just the first reading for the ordinance. 

Dozens of people made emotional pleas to the council on both sides of the issue.

Business owners said a ban would be anti-business.  One shop owner said she’d lose 15 percent of her sales if this ban passed, and she’d look at moving her store out of the city. 

Audrey Kim, who said she represents a store on Melrose Avenue, told the council that it would hurt not only their business, but surrounding restaurants in the area.

“What’s next,” she added. “Leather?”

On the other side, many speakers said they didn’t buy the economic argument. Several pointed to the ban on smoking, saying that didn’t stop people from going to restaurants.

Local

Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.

Good Samaritan attacked while helping woman who was robbed in Long Beach

Grupo Firme announces first U.S. tour in nearly a year in the heart of Hollywood 

Mary Cummins said she represents animal advocates. She told the council these animals feel pain and sadness, just like cats and dogs. She said since people don't sell cat and dog fur, then that same right should be extended to wild animals.

A speaker who encouraged the council to vote no said, “How are you guys going to police this?  You just haven’t thought this out.”

He wanted to know if the council would go after restaurants that sell meat, too.

Will vintage items be banned? The city council doesn’t know. That’s one of the things they’re going to review before they take up the issue again in two weeks before a final vote.

Tell us what you think of the proposed ban -- Facebook: NBCLA

Contact Us