Union Square Cafe Ruffles Feathers of Anti-Cruelty Activists
Popular Restaurant Called Upon to Spare Force-Fed Birds

New York -- In the wake of California Governor Schwarzenegger’s signature of a bill into law to ban the sale and production of foie gras, the fatty liver of force-fed ducks and geese, members of In Defense of Animals (IDA) and the Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL) will take restaurants to task, urging them to drop the “delicacy of despair” from their menus. Holding posters that feature the body of a duck who died during the violent force-feeding process, activists will cause diners at a New York City restaurant that continues to sell the cruel product to lose their appetites. The protest marks the beginning of a weekly sustained presence at Union Square Cafe by activists until the restaurant removes cruelly derived foie gras from its menu:

Where: Union Square Cafe, 21 E. 16th Street (between. 5th & Union Sq. W.)
When: Friday, October 22, 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Why have IDA and APRL launched a national campaign to ruffle the feathers of restaurants that sell foie gras? Investigations on the only two foie gras farms in the U.S. revealed ducks crammed into filthy, feces-ridden sheds and others isolated inside wire cages so small that the animals could barely move. Barrels full of dead ducks who had choked or whose organs ruptured or exploded during the traumatic force-feeding process were discovered. Investigators rescued 15 ducks, including two who were being eaten alive by rats because crippling injuries prevented them from moving. 

On foie gras farms, workers shove rigid pipes down the throats of ducks and geese twice per day, every day, pumping as much as seven pounds of mash into their stomachs. The ducks who survive the feedings suffer from a painful illness that causes their livers to swell up to eight to ten times their normal size. When the birds are slaughtered, their livers are sold for foie gras.

At least 15 nations including Israel and Germany have banned foie gras production because of its cruelty and many restaurants, including Deco restaurant in Ventura, Calif.; Jardinière in San Francisco; and the world famous Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago have stated that they will no longer serve foie gras after learning of the cruelty behind it.

“We will be bringing this information to restaurants across the country to ask them to stop selling this delicacy of despair,” said Kath Rogers who rescued ducks from Sonoma Foie Gras. “We hope that Union Square Cafe will make the compassionate decision to spare birds from cruel force feeding.”

For more information, please visit www.StopForceFeeding.com. Broadcast quality footage of APRL’s foie gras investigation is available upon request.