In 1970 the Mason Act was enacted in New York State. It effectively banned the sale of leopard, snow tiger, ocelot, margay, red wolf, polar bear and puma skins. Endangered species legislation, including the Endangered Species Act (1973), has offered hope to many animal species once wiped out by the fur trade. The most important and authoritative step that has been adopted to regulate trade in endangered species is CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). It came into force on 1 July 1975 to control trade in rare and endangered species. and protected species of fauna and flora. In addition to the importance of legislation restricting hunting of all animals, particularly endangered species, there is also great concern about the pain and suffering caused by hunting and trapping animals. According to Animal and Their Legal Rights, “each year, approximately 20.3 million fur trappers become trapped in the United States due to the fur trade…. There may be several million hunters operating in the United States, and their impacts on wildlife can be severe. Many species of furbearers and mink are in danger of extinction or have been completely wiped out in various states due to overharvesting, which continues to threaten species such as the Bobcat, River Otter and Fisher." (Animals and Their Legal Rights, AWI, 1990, p.157). Additionally, in an effort to support the animal rights movement and reduce the number of people using real fur, fashion designers are now starting to use faux fur in their designs. Ms. McCartney, one of fashion's most vocal animal rights activists, joined the recent faux fur boom by featuring a full line of sumptuous faux fur coats in her fall and winter collection in Paris. He said: "We've finally found something that looks fantastic and is consistent with our philosophy on luxury and cruelty-free fashion." (McCartney,