SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A fashion store in San Francisco was cited for possession of illegal items made from protected animals, and the owner has responded.

Fashion store, Decades of Fashion, located in San Francisco’s Haight Asbury neighborhood at 1653 Haight Street, was cited Thursday for possession of illegal items made from animals protected by federal and state laws.

Owner, Cicely Hansen, said she is an animal lover not a poacher, “We are hardly poachers,” “I can’t tell you how upsetting this is.”

The store sells vintage clothing with styles ranging from Victorian times to the 1980s and specializing in 1920s Flapper dresses.

California Fish and Wildlife executed a search warrant on Thursday at 11:00 a.m., investigators were at the store looking for anything illegal, like clothes made from leopards or African lions, or purses, belts, or shoes made from sea turtles.

The search warrant allows investigators to search the entire premises. Investigators searched her private collection in the store’s basement which consisted of items that were not for sale and did not have price tags on them.

Investigators took several dozens of items from the store but some items may be returned if investigators determine the items are not illegal, taking items the owner, Hansen, claims had no idea were illegal, such as an item made from a skunk.

Hansen argued that items in her store were made 50 years ago when laws were different. “No malicious intent in here,” she said.

She said church groups bring her items they want to sell to raise money for people in need.

Hughan said people are allowed to possess anything, such as something they got from their mother or grandmother. But people cannot sell it because the sales create a market for illegal items.

“As a business person, she’s responsible for knowing what’s illegal and what’s not,” Hughan said.

Hughan said investigators tagged some items they feel are from protected species but the investigation has not concluded.

Employees cooperated with investigators, who may turn the case over to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, potentially leading to filing charges against the store.

Hughan says, “Nobody got hurt,” “That’s the important thing.”

It is unlikely anyone will go to jail but the store cold face thousands of dollars in fines, according to Hughan.

Stay with KRON4 News for updates on this story.Bay City News contributed to this report