MEDIA RELEASE: 11th MARCH 2020
CITY OF SYDNEY MOVES TO BAN FUR IN AUSTRALIAN FIRST:
ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY MP SAYS COUNCIL IS LEADING THE WAY FOR CHANGE
Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst - who has been working closely with the Lord Mayor on the issue of fur and the banning of fur sales - has congratulated the Council on monday night’s Mayoral Minute revealing intentions of the Council to move to become ‘fur free’.
“This fantastic first step by Clover Moore and the City of Sydney to ban fur sales will cement them as the most progressive council here in Australia. I am excited to see the City of Sydney listening to local resident’s concerns about animal cruelty,” said Ms Hurst.
“It is time- the heinous animal abuse within the fur trade is well known and fur is not considered fashion. Fur is simply dead,” said Ms Hurst.
Fur bans overseas in the UK and US saw some concerns raised around recycled fashion and vintage fur coats becoming landfill if not allowed to be sold at markets and stalls.
“An innovative aspect of the work the Animal Justice Party is doing with the City of Sydney is to encourage people to donate any vintage coats to Snuggle Coats – an organisation turning old fur into pouches for orphaned wildlife,” continued Ms Hurst.
“After the bushfires and with so many orphaned and injured animals we can’t think of anything more positive than to give these coats back to the animals.
“Over 50 million animals suffer and die as victims of the fur trade. The people of Sydney would be horrified if they saw what goes on behind the scenes in this barbaric industry. Animals in the fur trade are killed by anal electrocution, gassing, breaking their necks, or skinning them alive – these are all inhumane and often ineffective methods designed to avoid damage to their fur.
“I’m confident that other Councils will be following City of Sydney’s lead, and just as Councils all around Australia progressively banned circuses on Council land, I think the action of Councils in 2020 will be to ban fur.
“We have seen Councils in the UK make similar bans but this is the first Council making steps towards the same change here in Australia. It is great to see the City of Sydney being leaders on ethical animal policies,” said Ms Hurst.
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