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Petition to ban sale of new fur fails after divided testimony on cruelty and enforcement
Summary
A citizen petition to prohibit the sale of new fur products in Mashby sparked emotional testimony both for animal-welfare and against perceived overreach; the measure failed, 133–115.
A petition to ban the sale of new fur products in Mashby drew proponents who described the fur industry as cruel and environmentally damaging and opponents who said no local businesses sell new fur and warned of enforcement difficulties and slippery-slope impacts. The Wampenog Tribal Council was reported to support the measure.
Petitioner Larry Ginsburg, citing industry practices and public-health and environmental concerns, urged voters to adopt the bylaw. An out-of-town representative from the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals described municipal precedents and attorney-general approvals in other towns and said enforcement costs have been minimal elsewhere. Opponents questioned the necessity of a local ban, asserted no local businesses sell new fur, and argued the article could open the door to bans on other products.
After roughly an hour of back-and-forth, the article failed 133–115. Town officials noted existing enforcement would be through the police department and a fine, and proponents argued the bylaw was largely symbolic and aimed at aligning the town with other municipalities that have adopted similar measures.
