The proposed ban on selling fur in New York City is getting some high-profile help from British rock legend Morrissey.
The outspoken singer, vegan and animal rights activist pledged to mobilize fans who attend his weeklong residency at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater, which kicks off Thursday.
Staffers from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) will host a table at the theater and connect fans with their local City Council members so they can urge them to vote for the ban.
Morrissey sent a letter to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson on Wednesday, praising him for proposing the ban and noted a similar measure is being considered in the U.K.
“As in New York, stores in England have been caught selling real dog and cat fur from China falsely labeled as fake,” he wrote to Johnson. “It’s time to rid the racks of the stuff in order to protect all fashion victims, both human and nonhuman.”
The bill, set for a hearing on May 15 at City Hall, would ban the sale of fur apparel in the city. There are exceptions for used fur and fur that is worn for religious customs.
The fur industry has geared up its own campaign to fight the ban, saying it would have “devastating consequences” for the city’s fashion economy and jeopardize thousands of jobs.
"I am an animal lover, and truly believe it is cruel to kill an animal just for the purpose of people wearing a fur coat," Johnson said in a statement, thanking Morrissey. "The proposal reflects an ever-growing consensus in the fashion industry that the use of fur is not ethical, and it encourages innovation in the industry."
Johnson pointed out many designers have promised to stop using fur while others, like Stella McCartney, have a long history of not using fur products.
Morrissey has a long history of supporting animal rights and has addressed those issues in songs, during concerts and in press interviews. In 1985, when he was lead singer for “The Smiths,” the band released an album titled “Meat is Murder.”
In more recent years he has shown shocking footage of factory farms and slaughterhouses at his performances. While on tour in Canada last month, Morrissey worked with PETA on its campaign to persuade Canada Goose to stop using down and fur in its coats.
