Denver Initiated Ordinance 308 on the Nov. 5 ballot asks voters to pass a fur ban that would prohibit businesses from making or selling a range of animal-based products in the city.
The Denver Fur Ban initiative was placed on the ballot by Pro-Animal Future, which is also behind a proposed slaughterhouse ban.
Proponents of the proposed ordinance argue a ban is merited for an industry that mistreats and abuses animals. Opponents, including the leader of the National Western Stock Show, argue it would hurt business owners and undercut part of Colorado’s culture and history.
What would 308 do if passed?
The initiative would prohibit the manufacture, distribution, display, sale or trade of certain animal products within Denver city limits, providing only limited exceptions.
Unlike some other cities that have enacted fur bans, Denver’s proposed ban encompasses more than just furs. According to the language in the submitted petition, “fur means any animal skin or part thereof of hair, fleece or fur fibers attached thereto, either in its raw or processed state; or such hair fleece, or fur fibers detached from any animal skin and re-attached to another material.”
Under this language, the measure also would ban sales of cowboy hats if they’re made of beaver, rabbit or hare hides, and it also could ban certain fly-fishing flies if they include animal fibers.
Not all fur bans are written the same way. In West Hollywood, California, where a fur ban took effect 2013, the prohibition was restricted only to animal furs that were attached to the hide of the animal and had been made into a wearable garment.
What do supporters say?
Proponents say the use of real animal products is unnecessary, citing technology that has enabled producers to make these products without killing animals. They also say that the conditions that animals are raised in for fur harvesting are inhumane and bad for the environment.
What do opponents say?
Opponents say the ordinance would hurt businesses by reducing the types of products they can sell. They also say that the measure would undermine Colorado’s western culture and heritage.
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