Anti-Foie Gras Bill to Be Considered in California Assembly

From: "PETA" - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

Editor's note: This information is particularly aimed at people residing in the US. The ground-breaking work of PETA on behalf of aniimal rights is to be commended.

Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2004 12:10:17 -0500

URGENT: Anti-Foie Gras Bill to Be Considered in California Assembly

Last month, thanks in part to your letters and calls, the California Senate passed Senate Bill 1520, which would ban foie gras and its production. The bill now goes to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions for a vote on June 22. Please help ensure the passage of this bill by contacting members of the committee as soon as possible to ask them to support Senate Bill 1520.

Foie gras (a delicacy in restaurants) is produced by force-feeding ducks or geese up to three times per day by prying open their bills; shoving long, inflexible pipes down their throats; and pumping several pounds of feed into each bird?s stomach. The process causes the birds? livers, which are eventually sold as foie gras, to become diseased and swell to up to 10 times their normal size. Some birds experience ripped-open necks and ruptured internal organs because of the intense pressure of the forced feeding. Workers are often given monetary rewards for not "bursting" birds. The stress and pain frequently result in the birds? becoming unable to walk and being reduced to propelling themselves by pushing with their wings.

Foie gras production is so cruel that it is illegal in many countries, including the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K. Israel, the world?s third-largest foie gras producer, is expected to join this growing list soon. Yet in California, Sonoma Foie Gras, one of only two U.S. foie gras producers, continues to use cruel force-feeding practices to produce this "delicacy."

What You Can Do
The California Assembly Committee on Business and Professions is currently considering S.B. 1520, which would prohibit cruel force-feeding methods and ban foie gras sales altogether, and will vote on the measure on June 22. Please contact members of the committee (see list below), especially the chair, by June 18, and politely urge them to support S.B. 1520. If you reside in a committee member?s district, be sure to mention that you are his or her constituent.

Please also forward this to as many compassionate California residents as possible. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at 757-622-7382, extension 8013, or via e-mail at CemA@peta.org. Thank you again for everything that you do for animals!

Sincerely,

Cem Akin
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

California State Assembly Committee on Business and Professions

The Honorable Lou Correa, Chair
916-319-2069
916-319-2169 (fax)
Assemblymember.Correa@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Shirley Horton, Vice Chair
916-319-2078
916-319-2178 (fax)
Assemblymember.Shirley.Horton@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Bill Maze
916-319-2034
916-319-2134 (fax)
Assemblymember.Maze@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Greg Aghazarian
916-319-2026
916-319-2126 (fax)
Assemblymember.Aghazarian@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Abel Maldonado
916-319-2033
916-319-2133 (fax)
Assemblymember.Maldonado@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Gloria Negrete McLeod
916-319-2061
916-319-2161 (fax)
Assemblymember.McLeod@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Juan Vargas
916-319-2079
916-319-2179 (fax)
Assemblymember.Vargas@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Mark Leno
916-319-2013
916-319-2113 (fax)
Assemblymember.Leno@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Rudy Bermudez
916-319-2056
916-319-2156 (fax)
Assemblymember.Bermudez@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Leland Yee
916-319-2012
916-319-2112 (fax)
Assemblymember.Yee@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Joe Nation
916-319-2006
916-319-2106 (fax)
Joe.Nation@asm.ca.gov

The Honorable Ellen Corbett
916-319-2018
916-319-2118 (fax)
Assemblymember.Corbett@assembly.ca.gov

The Honorable Paul Koretz
916-319-2042
916-319-2142 (fax)
Assemblymember.Koretz@assembly.ca.gov