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Animal Protection Advocates to Protest in Philadelphia

Weekend Demonstrations Aim to Educate the Public about the Cruelties of Foie Gras

Philadelphia, PA, April 26, 2007 - Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm animal protection organization, will hold demonstrations Saturday, April 28, to educate the public about foie gras; a cruelly produced appetizer that has been banned in more than a dozen countries, as well as California and Chicago. Legislation has been introduced to end the sale of this inhumane product in Philadelphia.

Foie gras is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese until their livers become diseased, expanding 10 times larger than normal. Should the birds survive this process, they are slaughtered and their livers are harvested for foie gras.

Animal rights advocates will be holding demonstrations in front of a number of restaurants serving foie gras, starting at The Fountain at the Four Seasons Hotel (1 Logan Square) at 6:45 pm.

Gene Baur, president of Farm Sanctuary, said he expects dozens to turn out. “When it comes to the issue of foie gras,” Baur said, “education has been an extremely effective tool. People have a right to know how a product gets to their plate, and once learning about the cruelties involved in producing foie gras, the public has consistently cast their votes for compassion.”

More than 25 restaurants in Philadelphia have taken foie gras off their menus, thanks in no small part to Hugs for Puppies, a local animal protection organization that has been reaching out to restaurants on the foie gras issue for many months. Eleven of those restaurants are owned by Stephen Starr who announced in late 2006 that he was pulling the item. “We were getting an incredible amount of protests,” Starr said. “And honestly, deep down when I really understood what was going on with the ducks, I think it’s kind of not cool to serve it.”

Farm Sanctuary congratulates the following Philadelphia restaurants for removing foie gras from their menus:

Brasserie Perrier
Marigold Kitchen
Django
Vetri
Rouge
Restaurant M
Susanna Foo
The Grill at the Ritz
The Palm Restaurant
Audrey Claire
Twenty Manning
The Oceanaire
Valanni
Bistro
Barclay Prime
Striped Bass
Alma de Cuba
Pod
Washington Square
Tangerine
Morimoto
Buddakan
The Continental
Jones
El Vez

Baur added, “We commend chefs and restaurant owners in Philadelphia who have already made the ethical decision to remove foie gras from their menus. This decision reflects not only the desires of their patrons, but also the values of contemporary society.”

Farm Sanctuary invites anyone concerned with the protection of animals and industrial farming issues to join them Saturday in raising a voice for compassion. This evening of demonstrations coincides with Farm Sanctuary’s Farm Animal Forum, held on Sunday, April 29, at the National Constitution Center. This conference brings together the top farm animal advocates in the country to discuss farm animal protection issues and offers citizens tools and resources to act on their behalf.

About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation's leading farm animal protection organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to expose and stop cruel practices of the "food animal" industry through research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland, Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be found at www.farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.