Sonoma Foie Gras loses motion...again

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2004

 

Sonoma Foie Gras Loses Motion in

Animal Cruelty Lawsuit…Again

 

SONOMA, CA—Sonoma Foie Gras, the defendant in an animal cruelty lawsuit and

the target of recent legislation in Sacramento, has just had their second

motion in the case denied. The company had first hoped to move the

anti-cruelty suit to the rural county of San Joaquin, where they anticipated

a court would be more tolerant of their controversial force feeding

practice. In oral argument yesterday, the company also moved for a dismissal

of the case, which was denied as well.

 

The company’s lawyers tried to shield it from attack by arguing that “just

because an animal suffers, it is not a violation of animal cruelty laws”

(Robert Julian, attorney for Sonoma Foie Gras). Animal protection groups

point out that force feeding crosses the line where intentional infliction

of pain on animals can indeed be defined by law as “torture”—the goal of

foie gras production is to induce a deadly liver disease in the ducks.

 

The advocates have cited over twelve nations that have outlawed foie gras

production altogether and a directive by the European Union requiring member

countries to ban the practice by 2010. They also note that every animal

protection group in the U.S. has taken an active stand against foie gras,

including the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States. Governor

Schwarzenegger has also decided to ditch the controversial fare from his

menu, finding the dish too distasteful for a recent fund raising event.

 

“The foie gras industry is disappearing internationally now that the public

is discovering the horrifying reality of its production,” states APRL’s Kath

Rogers. “To produce this expensive and frivolous item, these people are

forcing food down the throats of ducks until their organs nearly burst and

they are on the verge of death. This is not only frighteningly cruel, but

it’s incredibly anti-social when there are people who don’t even have enough

to eat. What we have documented inside their farm could be straight out of

a horror movie.”

 

A powerful Sacramento lawmaker recently decided to take his own action

against the practice, by introducing bill SB 1520, which would ban the

production and sale of foie gras in the state of California. A bill has

also been introduced in New York with majority party sponsorship in both

houses of the legislature seeking to shut down the only other foie gras farm

in the U.S.

 

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A.P.R.L. is a registered 501©(3) not-for-profit organization. All

contributions are fully tax deductible and directly help us stop animal

suffering. See www.APRL.org for more information.