Brooks Law Digest: Fur

A federal judge has ruled that Canada Goose  must face claims from a proposed class of consumers that its advertised commitment to “ethical, responsible and sustainable sourcing” is misleading because the company actually obtains coyote fur from inhumane sources such as strangulation snares and leghold traps. The court did, however, dismiss the claim for injunctive relief stating the plaintiff was unlikely to purchase additional Canada Goose products after learning how the fur actually is sourced and therefore “lacks standing to seek injunctive relief because he does not allege any injury that is ‘actual and imminent, not conjectural or hypothetical.’”

South Carolina Senate Bill 556 would remove the current prohibition on the commercial “disposal” of an animal killed “under authority of a depredation permit.”

Massachusetts House Bill 1592 and Senate Bill 1029 would make it unlawful to sell, offer for sale, or otherwise distribute for consideration a fur product. The prohibition would not apply to a used fur product; a fur product used for traditional tribal, cultural, or spiritual purposes; or a fur product expressly authorized by federal or state law.

Rhode Island House Bill 5188 would prohibit the sale, trade, or other distribution for monetary or non-monetary consideration of a fur product. The legislation includes exemptions for used products, products used in the practice of a religion, or an activity involving a fur product that is expressly authorized by federal or state law.

Washington House Bill 1372 would prohibit fur farming and the manufacture of fur products. The legislation would include exemptions for fur products used in religious or traditional tribal purposes, activities authorized by federal law, and used fur products.

Hawaii House Bill 32 would prohibit the manufacture for sale, sale, trade, or distribution of new fur products.

Connecticut Proposed Bill 5031 would prohibit the sale, trade, and distribution of new animal fur.

Oregon House Bill 2676 would prohibit the sale, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, or other distribution for consideration of fur products. The ban would not apply to nonprofits, secondhand stores, pawn shops, or Native American tribes.

New York Assembly Bill 703 would prohibit the sale and distribution of fur products. The bill contains an exemption for used fur products by a person not normally engaged in the business of selling fur products.

Denmark first announced mink farmers must, but amid legal challenges now only recommends that farmers kill all mink raised in the country for fur because of concerns over a mutated form of COVID-19 that could spread to humans.