Undercover Investigators Speak Out in CA and NY About Force Feeding Cruelty

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Feb 14, 2012, 04:17 ET

Asking chefs to have a heart for ducks this Valentine's Day

SAN FRANCISCO, and SYRACUSE, N.Y., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Activists from the Animal Protection and Rescue League will be holding protests this Valentine's Day at restaurants that continue serving foie gras. The controversial appetizer is made by force feeding ducks massive quantities of food to enlarge their livers to over 10 times normal size.

NY--

Where: L'Adour Restaurant 110 Montgomery St. in downtown Syracuse
When: Feb. 14, 6:30pm EST

CA--

Where: Palio d'Asti Restaurant, 640 Sacramento St. San Francisco
When: Feb. 14, 7:30pm PST

A group of all female undercover activists who took video of conditions at the only foie gras farms in the U.S. and rescued several ducks from there will be present at both protests. "Hot in Cleveland" actress Wendie Malick narrated a video of the animal cruelty investigations, which is now posted at www.StopForceFeeding.com.

"These young activists took great personal risk to expose cruel conditions at these factory farms in California and New York," states Bryan Pease, an attorney for the group. "Activists who previously rescued ducks from these same locations were charged with felony burglary."

The recent animal cruelty investigation mirrors conditions found in 2002-2004 when APRL previously exposed the force feeding industry. The investigators found ducks panting for breath, having difficulty standing and walking due to the immense organ pressure from force feeding, and trash barrels full of dead ducks. A California statewide ban on sale and production of foie gras takes effect this July.

According to APRL, less than a tenth of a percent of all restaurants in the U.S. serve foie gras. Over 100 restaurants in California have removed the item without waiting for the ban to take effect, and only about 300 restaurants in the state are still serving it. Eight cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego have passed resolutions in support of the statewide ban. Over 15 countries have banned foie gras production.

A seven minute ABC I-Team piece released earlier this month about the daring raids can be viewed at http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/iteam&id=8529529.

More info is posted at www.StopForceFeeding.com.

SOURCE Animal Protection & Rescue League