Contact: 

Matthew Hamity, mhamity@idausa.org, 847-721-9802

Julie Massa, julie@idausa.org, 415-448-0048 x232

Images (please see file names for distribution and credit info): 

10 Best Celebs ‘Fur’ Animals: http://bit.ly/10bestfurcelebs

10 Worst Fur Celebs ‘Fur’ Animals: http://bit.ly/worstfurcelebs

SAN RAFAEL, CA (September 24, 2019) In Defense of Animals has named the 10 Worst vs. 10 Best Celebrities ‘Fur’ Animals. The organization is calling on ten of the top names in entertainment to publicly reject the cruelty of the fur industry by supporting groundbreaking bills to ban fur. In Defense of Animals has named the 10 Best Celebrities ‘Fur’ Animals on a list which includes entertainers who have condemned animal fur. The nonprofit is now urging the celebrities to publicly support laws that would end fur sales in California and New York City. The list of compassionate stars includes Mena Suvari, RZA, Anjelica Huston, Tim Gunn, Taraji P. Henson, Eva Mendes, Kim Kardashian West, Alicia Silverstone, Olivia Munn, and Ricky Gervais.

“Celebrities have the unprecedented ability to influence their massive followings on social media to help animals and the environment, and we appreciate their efforts to end the barbaric fur industry,” said Fleur Dawes, Communications Director for In Defense of Animals. “We applaud this list of ten celebrities who use their voices to expose the horrific cruelty of the fur industry, and hope they can influence the 10 Worst Celebrities to ditch fur.”In Defense of Animals is calling on these compassionate celebrities to contact fellow entertainers on the 10 Worst Celebrities ‘Fur’ Animals list who are known to wear fur to go faux, and urge their support for fur-free legislation in California and New York City. The list of celebrities who wear animal furs includes Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kris, Kylie, and Kendall Jenner, Conor McGregor, Lana Del Rey, and Nicki Minaj. 

Coyotes, chinchillas, foxes, mink, rabbits, and other fur-bearing animals are subjected to unregulated killing methods which cause unimaginable terror and agony, all for the sake of frivolous fashion statements like fur trim, coats, and accessories. Animals are gassed, bludgeoned, electrocuted, or have their necks broken, while anal or genital electrocution is a common method for killing animals used for fur. Furs from dogs, cats, raccoons, rodents and other animals are often undisclosed or intentionally mislabeled by manufacturers, and fur products are often preserved with chemicals that are damaging to the environment and harmful to human health. 

California has been at the forefront of anti-fur legislation with trailblazing successes to prohibit the sale of fur products throughout several of its largest cities, including San Francisco, Berkeley, West Hollywood, and Los Angeles. 

In September 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom gave his seal of approval to a statewide ban on commercial fur trapping. A first-of-its-kind bill to ban the sale and manufacture of new fur products throughout the state of California now awaits Newsom’s signature to become an official law.

New York City— the fashion capital of the world—has also proposed Intro 1476 to prohibit fur sales in the city. 

AB 44, presented by Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, would prohibit the sale and manufacture of new animal fur products throughout California. If passed, the ban would go into effect on Jan 1, 2023, to make it illegal to manufacture, sell, offer for sale, display for sale, trade, give, donate, or otherwise distribute a fur product in the state. Clothing, handbags, shoes, slippers, hats, or key chains that contain fur would all be banned from such sales. Those who violate the ban could face up to six months in jail and/or a fine of no more than one thousand dollars.

Thousands of In Defense of Animals supporters signed alerts targeting the California State Legislature to make fur history in the state. 

In Defense of Animals is a member of the Make Fur History coalition, and Fur Free NYC, a coalition of animal protection organizations and activists who support Intro 1476 introduced by Speaker Corey Johnson to prohibit the sale of fur apparel in New York City. 

See the list and take action to make fur history: www.furkills.org 

See the 10 Worst vs. 10 Best Celebrities ‘Fur’ Animals: idausa.org/10worstcelebs

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In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 36-year history of protecting animals’ rights, welfare and habitats through education, campaigns and hands-on rescue facilities in India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi. www.idausa.org

IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS • 3010 KERNER BLVD. • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • 415-448-0048