Editorial: California bans the sale of shoes made from dead kangaroos. It’s the law, so enforce it

For most of the last half-century, California has banned the sale of any item made from kangaroos, which are killed in mass slaughters for commerce each year in Australia. Cleats made of so-called k-leather are sought after for their light weight and strength, and dozens of California stores have continued selling them in their shops as well as online, according to a lawsuit recently filed by national animal welfare groups, Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, against one retailer. That prompted animal welfare groups to launch a campaign to encourage state enforcement and to pressure companies to stop selling the shoes, especially in light of the availability and growing popularity among professional soccer players of shoes made of synthetic non-leather materials. Online they are gone.” Opinion Editorial: Bounce the kangaroo bill from the Legislature For decades, California banned the import and sale of all products made from kangaroos — including food and shoes, particularly high-end soccer cleats — out of concern for their conservation. On the Dick’s Sporting Goods site last week, a customer could readily buy a pair of Nike Tiempo Legend 9 Elite FG kangaroo leather shoes to be shipped to a Los Angeles home address.