January 26, 2011 (Sampurn Wire): Activists in California are advocating for the city of West Hollywood to become the first fur-free city in United States and possibly in the world. The activists are endeavouring to convince the City Council to ban fur trading in the city which boasts of a good track record in animal welfare protection.

The city has already banned declawing of cats and the pet stores are no longer allowed to conduct business with puppy mills. Moreover, the city has changed ordinances to call a pet owner a guardian. The city became a cruelty-free zone for animals in 1989 when a resolution was passed to ban cosmetic testing on animals and steel-jaw leghold traps.

Ed Buck, an organizer of Fur Free WeHo, states that they are endeavouring to promote West Hollywood as the capital of fur-free fashion. A legislative ban on fur trading and production would mean that the city would become the first of the kind in the whole of USA and possibly in the whole of world. Though fur farms have been banned in UK and Ireland, those bans deal with production and not with commerce.

In West Hollywood, the animal welfare activists are slated to hold a kick off rally and the city council candidate John DAmico would also be one of the speakers for the cause. The fur-free ban proposal has become DAmicos central campaigning feature.

The activists are steadfast in their resolution to get the city rid of animal cruelty. Activism against fur trading has gained momentum in recent years after an internet video that showed raccoon dogs being skinned alive in China in 2005. It is now to be seen if West Hollywood can earn a legislative ban on fur trading.

--Sampurn Wire