Animal Cruelty for Food Must Be Banned

MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders has called on the Government to ban the sale in the UK of foie gras that has been produced using traditional menthods.

The traditional method of foie gras production consists of forcing metal pipes down the throats of ducks and geese to allow them to be easily over-fed which increases the size of their livers to 10 times their normal size.

This method of production has been illegal in the UK for some time but the sale of the product is not. It is an extremely cruel process and many birds die before the completion of the forced-feeding process. The birds have also been shown to demonstrate signs of fear and their natural behaviour is dramatically altered.

There is an alternative to foie gras, know as faux gras, which is produced from free-range ducks and geese which have not been subjected to force-feeding and is supported by the RSPCA and Compassion in World Farming as an ethical alternative.

Adrian commented: "Animal welfare issues have rightly received more publicity and attention in recent years but the production of foie gras is one area that is often overlooked."

"It seems hypocritical that the cruel production of foie gras is banned in the UK and yet we still permit the sale of the product. It is time that the sale of traditionally produced foie gras is banned in this country and that we switch to humane alternatives."