23
Apr
PETA Joins UK Coalition Against Selfridges’ Foie Gras
- posted at 2:59 PM
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Ole Mr Kelly at Selfridges sure is getting a lot of post from the animal rights world at the moment. PETA has got together with a number of other organisations, forming a coalition, to request that the store stops selling foie gras effective immediately. No more stalling, no more cruelty – simply removing it from their shelves and letting the ducks and geese get on with their lives. The letter below is written by PETA, Animal Aid, Compassion In World Farming, Viva! and others – isn’t it great to see us all work together on such an important issue? Aww, group hug!
23 April 2008
Paul Kelly, CEO
Selfridges & Co
Dear Mr Kelly,
We are writing to you today as a coalition of animal protection groups to ask that you stop defending foie gras production and follow the lead of Prince Charles, every grocery chain in the UK, House of Fraser, Waitrose and others by ending foie gras sales at Selfridges.
Every animal protection organisation in the world condemns the cruelty of foie gras production – a practice so abusive to animals that 15 governments have come to an agreement that it should not be produced in their countries.
As you might know, the European Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare (SCAHAW) did an extensive study of the science. SCAHAW catalogued a long list of ways in which foie gras production causes pain and distress in animals, including the following:
1. The insertion of the force-feeding pipe can cause serious injury.
2. Liver structure and function in force-fed birds are severely altered and compromised.
3. The increase in liver size causes the abdomen to expand, making walking and breathing difficult.
SCAHAW concluded that force-feeding “is detrimental to the welfare of the birds”. They recommended that:
No process should be used that results in an increase in liver size such that its function is significantly modified or that it causes increased mortality, pain or distress.
No feeding procedure should be used that results in substantial discomfort.
Foie gras production breaches both these recommendations.
Please see the attached document, which details the scientific consensus – foie gras production has no place in an ethical society, and foie gras sales have no place in an ethical store.
Sincerely,
Ross Minett, Campaigns Director
Advocates for Animals
Andrew Tyler, Director
Animal Aid
John Callaghan, Director of Programmes
Compassion in World Farming
Mark Glover, Director
Humane Society International (UK)
Marie-Claire Macintosh, Head of Programmes
Four Paws UK
Ingrid E Newkirk, Managing Director
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Europe
Juliet Gellatley, Founder and Director
Viva!
Paul Rainger, Head of Farm Animals Programme
World Society for the Protection of Animals
I was astonished to see foie gras on the menu at actress Jane Seymour’s new restaurant in Bath, England. Needless to say we never went in! The irony is that an old actor friend of hers, Sir Roger Moore,is leading an excellent crusade to have it banned in the UK. What was she thinking? The excellent menu becomes rather disappointing with this cruel addition. Shame on you Ms Seymour.
Col. L.R.T. Saul