Foie Gras

Despite foie gras bans all over the world, the AVMA has thus far remained silent regarding this cruel industry, which shoves long pipes down the throats of young ducks and geese to pump massive amounts of food into their stomachs in order to enlarge their livers. The frightened, battered birds often become too sick to walk when they develop serious liver disease as a result of the force-feeding.

Ducks and geese, who naturally form hierarchies and families in the wild, often tear out their own feathers and even cannibalize each other as a result of the extreme stress on foie gras farms. A PETA investigation in New York’s Hudson Valley facility (formerly Commonwealth Enterprises) found one duck who had a maggot-covered neck wound that was so severe that water spilled out of it when he drank. Many birds died when their stomachs burst from overfeeding, and many more developed foot infections, kidney necrosis, spleen and kidney damage, bruised and broken bills, and tumor-like lumps in their throats.

Foie gras farms are so cruel that force-feeding birds has been banned in many countries, including the U.K. and Switzerland. In 2004, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also signed a bill that will outlaw both the production and sale of foie gras in California. Many restaurants worldwide have removed foie gras from their menus after restaurant owners and their customers learned just how abusive foie gras production really is.

Learn more about foie gras production.