Right now, every donation is matched until 31st December or until we reach our goal of £145K. Don't miss out! DONATE NOW
News
Get the latest news and updates from Animal Equality

MPs and Animal Welfare Experts Join Call to Ban Foie Gras in Britain

09/05/2018 Updated: 14/11/2018

On Wednesday 2nd May, we held a reception at the House of Commons in support of our campaign for a Foie Gras-Free GB, calling for an import ban of this cruel delicacy when we exit the European Union. Henry Smith MP, our host for the evening, opened the event with a warm welcome and encouragement for the campaign, which he thinks has “a very good chance” of success.

  Dr Toni Shephard, Animal Equality’s UK Executive Director then explained the background to the campaign using evidence from a 2011 investigation filmed in France and Spain, highlighting the devastating plight of ducks and geese used in the production of foie gras. Emma Milne, the TV veterinarian, author and animal welfare campaigner spoke passionately about why Foie Gras is so inherently cruel and should therefore be banned in this country. She now resides in France so also spoke of the growing movement there against foie gras.

  Finally, Professor Donald Broom, Colleen Macleod Professor of Animal Welfare (Emeritus) at the University of Cambridge gave a detailed account of the process by which foie gras is produced, taking us from birth to slaughter. It’s not only the practice of gavage (or force-feeding) which causes pain and suffering to millions of, primarily, ducks but also the appalling conditions in which they’re kept and obvious fear when approached by the workers. He also debunked some of the arguments for foie gras, such as tradition. We were grateful to have many of our supporters there, including donors, volunteers, journalists, sector colleagues Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, HSI UK, Animal Aid, and FAIRR, the actor Peter Egan, and MPs Sir David Amess and Kerry McCarthy, in addition to the speakers mentioned above.

  Almost 75,000 people have already signed the Animal Equality petition calling for a Foie Gras-Free GB, and 77% of respondents in a YouGov Poll carried out in June 2017 were supportive of a ban. Furthermore, Michael Gove MP has indicated that he is willing to halt the import of foie gras, and Labour has included this as a pledge in their recently published Animal Welfare Plan. We are therefore in a strong position to make this dream a reality come March 2019.


Latest News
29/10/2024

Animal Equality is proud to sponsor the release of a new report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), titled ‘Taking responsibility’, which investigates the systemic failures in the Government’s enforcement of farmed animal laws and provides a roadmap for a much-needed reform of the framework. Animals confined…
22/10/2024

The Provincial Court of Murcia in Spain has overturned a previous judgement of two pig farmers involved in Spain’s most significant factory farm abuse scandal, ordering a retrial with a new magistrate. The farmers were previously not convicted, despite clear evidence of animal abuse taking place under their watch, and…
05/11/2024

Members of Scottish Parliament pre-arranged a visit with major Scottish salmon producer, Scottish Sea Farms, as part of a formal Parliamentary inquiry. But footage obtained by Animal Equality UK raises serious questions about the company's commitment to honest representation of its practices. BBC One Scotland reports: