FOIE GRAS CAMPAIGN BEGINS! 2nd April 2008

We are delighted to announce that our new Foie Gras campaign has now officially started! We have sent information packs, as well as a letter asking them to stop serving Foie Gras, to 30 restaurants in Dublin, and 1 in Kildare. Unfortunately, most of them have decided to keep serving it, which means they are now subject to protest (check our Upcoming Events page for details on our next demonstration!). With special thanks to our members, who suggested that we start this campaign, and for providing the list of restaurants (below). Be sure to boycott these restaurants, and please let us know if you are aware of any others that are serving Foie Gras. Also listed below is a list of restaurants that have now stopped serving foie gras, as a result of our campaigns. And for anyone unfamiliar with what Foie Gras is, please scroll down for more information.

BOYCOTT LIST - RESTAURANTS SERVING FOIE GRAS:

Pearl Brasserie Address: 20 Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2. La Mere Zou Address: 22 St Stephens Green, Dublin 2. Dax Restaurant Address: 23 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin 2. Chez Max Address: 1 Palace Street, Dublin 2. Le Parisien Restaurant Address: 11 Upper Baggot Street, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. L'Gueuleton Address: No 1 Fade Street, Dublin 2. Poulots Address: Mulberry Gardens, Donnybrook, Dublin 4. The French Paradox Bistro & Wine Bar Address: 53 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. The Mill Restaurant Celbridge Address: The Village @ Lyons Celbridge, County Kildare. The Winter Garden Restaurant Address: Red Cow, Moran Hotel, Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22. Roly's Bistro Address: 7 Ballsbridge Terrace, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Enowine Bar Address: Custom House Square, IFSC, Dublin 1. Olesya's Wine Bar Address: 18 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2. Halo Address: The Morrison Hotel, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1. The Tea Room Address: The Clarence, 6-8 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. Chapter One Restaurant Address: 18/19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Jacobs Ladder Address: 4 Nassau Street, Dublin 2. Seasons Restaurant Address: Four Seasons Hotel, Simmonscourt Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Still Restaurant (Dylan Hotel) Address: Dylan Hotel, Eastmoreland Place, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. The Cellar Restaurant Address: The Merrion Hotel, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2. Harvey Nichols First Floor Restaurant Address: Dundrum Town Centre, Dundrum, Dublin 14. Mint Restaurant Address: 47 Ranelagh Village, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. Venu Brasserie Address: Annes Lane, Dublin 2. La Cave Wine Bar Address: 28 South Anne Street, Dublin 2. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Address: Merrion Street, Dublin 2. Bang Cafe Address: Merrion Row, Dublin 2. Les Freres Jacques Address: Dame Street, Dublin 2.

RESTAURANTS THAT HAVE STOPPED SERVING FOIE GRAS:
	Here is a list of restaurants that we've contacted, who have chosen to stop serving foie gras: One Pico Restaurant Address: 5-6 Molesworth Place Schoolhouse Lane, Dublin 2. Bleu Bistro Restaurant Address: Joshua House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2. L'Ecrivain 109a Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2 South Bar and Restaurant Address: Beacon South Quarter, Blackthorn Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

THE CRUELTY OF FOIE GRAS:

Every year millions of ducks and geese are killed for foie gras. This barbaric industry is only kept alive because of the people who still buy into this cruelty. If you knew what happened to these poor animals, would you make a difference? Or would you choose to stay blind to their suffering? Foie gras is made from the forcibly enlarged livers of ducks and geese. Only males are used for foie gras, because they produce larger livers. Females are killed upon hatching, by being either drowned, beaten or crushed to death. A long metal pipe is rammed down the throats of these ducks and geese, 2 - 3 times a day, to force-feed them a total of 7lbs of grain. This soon results in their livers swelling to up to 10 times their normal size - which is actually a serious disease called hepatic lipidosis. The metal pipe sometimes ruptures the oesophagus, causing many birds to die, choking on the blood that then fills their lungs. The amount of feed pumped down their throats causes enormous internal pressure, causing some birds to literally burst. Others become so weak that they are unable to move or die a slow, painful, and premature death by suffocating on the inhalation of regurgitated feed. In fact, because of the massive toll taken on the birds during the force-feeding process, the average pre-slaughter mortality rate is up to twenty times higher than on other poultry factory farms. In addition to enduring force-feeding, the ducks and geese also suffer the same neglectful and abusive treatment of other factory-farmed animals such as overcrowding and mutilations (their beaks are cut off). They are kept in either group or individual cages, made solely from wire or plastic-mesh. Unable to feel the sun on their backs or ground beneath their feet, their cages are so small that they cannot fully stand or stretch their wings. To make matters worse, they are housed without access to swimming water even though ducks need to be able to immerse themselves in water to remain healthy. Access to water on these farms is so limited that they cannot clean their nostrils and eyes, which can lead to blindness. They have no chance to carry out any of their natural instincts, which include interacting in social groups, keeping themselves clean, nurturing their young, and exploring their surroundings. After living an unbelievably horrific and painful life, they then have to go through a violent death by having their throats slit whilst hung upside-down. There is no excuse for this barbaric industry to be in existence. Any restaurant or person who chooses to buy foie gras is committing animal abuse. SAY ‘NO’ TO TORTURE, SAY ‘NO’ TO MURDER. SAY ‘NO’ TO FOIE GRAS!