Animal activists drop giant banner on the Thames demanding foie gras import ban
On the 14th of July we demanded the Government follow through with their promise to ban foie gras imports. Animal Equality UK unfurled a giant banner on Victoria Embankment reading “KEEP YOUR PROMISE: BAN FOIE GRAS IMPORTS“, in direct view of Parliament. The action follows the launch of 150 billboards and ads running across south east England sharing the same message, predicted to reach 30 million passersby.
What is foie gras?
Foie gras is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese via a metal pipe inserted down the throat, multiple times a day, until their livers swell to up to ten times their natural size. The practice is so cruel that it has been illegal to produce in the UK for 20 years, yet the UK continues to import the product, allowing restaurants to profit from suffering that would be a criminal offence if it took place on British soil.
Before the General Election, the government promised to ban foie gras imports, with a senior Labour Party representative watching an Animal Equality investigation into a French foie gras farm and stating: “…great big pipes down those animals’ throats, and they’re just forcing that food in. Oh, they’re terrified. Disgusting. Look at the tiny little cages they’re in as well. That is just shocking. It is beyond disgusting. They’re force-feeding these terrified animals to fatten their livers.” Continuing, he added:“Vote for change. A vote for Labour is a vote for animals.” Years on, that promise remains unfulfilled, and campaigners now fear the ban is at risk due to ongoing EU-UK Sanitary and Phytosanitary trade negotiations which is intended to ease trade.
Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK, said
The Government made a promise to the British public and we have not forgotten. Every day this ban is delayed is another day that ducks and geese are violently force-fed – a practice that deliberately induces organ failure and is so cruel it is a crime to carry out in the UK. The Government’s negotiators must not trade away animal welfare commitments. Ministers would do well to remember who they represent; with nearly nine in ten Brits in favour of a ban, they have a clear mandate. The Government must keep its word.
A demand from the public
The latest YouGov polling shows that almost nine in ten (87%) of the British public support banning foie gras imports, making this one of the most widely supported animal welfare reforms across the UK, and Animal Equality’s petition calling for a ban has surpassed 329,000 signatures.
At a recent Parliamentary roundtable, hosted by Labour MP Irene Campbell, Dr Huw Golledge, Chief Executive and Scientific Director of Science for Animal Welfare, said:
The disease is not a side effect. Causing the disease is the purpose of the production system. Anyone looking objectively at the evidence would conclude that this is something that should not continue.
Veteran campaigner Adolfo Sansolini, who has worked on foie gras and live animal transport at the EU, WTO and FAO level for decades, reinforced that “this is fundamentally a question of political will” and called for strong cross-party pressure on both sides of the Channel.
What is next?
We will not stop pursuing the ban and informing the public of the cruelty behind this product, nor will we allow the Government to sweep this promise under the rug and let not only the public, but these animals down. You can help by signing our petition and trying some of our delicious plant-based recipes in our free cookbook! Leaving animals off your plate is the best way to protect them, and it can also be delicious!
END THE CRUELTY
Foie gras is immensely cruel. Its production causes ducks and geese severe physical and psychological pain. You can protect ducks and geese by opting for plant-based alternatives.
