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Top Utah Restaurant Becomes First In State To Remove Foie Gras From Menu

Elegant La Caille Says "No" to Cruelty, Signs Farm Sanctuary's "No Foie Gras" Pledge

Sandy, Utah - July 24, 2007 - La Caille, a four star French restaurant in Sandy, Utah has taken foie gras off its menu, joining hundreds of upscale restaurants that have now signed on to an international pledge spearheaded by Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, to stop serving the cruelly produced "delicacy."

According to Laura Horton, manager of La Caille, the decision to remove foie gras was an ethical one. Once the owners of La Caille were made aware of how foie gras is produced they immediately removed it from their menu.

"This region is a stomping ground for Canadian Geese," said Horton, "And La Caille is known for the beautiful birds that fly past and nest on our roof. We have a mama goose who stands up there every day. We simply couldn't look those beautiful birds in the eye and still serve foie gras. That would be wrong. We love our critters here."

Foie gras (translated from French as "fatty liver") is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese two or three times each day through a pipe shoved down their throats. The force-feeding can cause painful bruising, lacerations, sores, and even organ rupture. As a result of this unhealthy and unnatural diet, the birds' livers become diseased and swell up to 10 times their normal size, making it difficult for them to walk or even breathe. Foie Gras production is banned in more than a dozen countries. In the United States, California and Chicago have passed similar laws banning foie gras.

"The decision made by La Caille to stop selling foie gras shows that compassion and rationality can triumph over cruelty and callousness." said Gene Baur, President of Farm Sanctuary. "We are very happy to add them to our growing list of conscientious restaurants who have pledged not to sell foie gras."

La Caille is part of a growing trend in ethical dining that is gaining momentum in the United States. Consumers are more concerned than ever with how their food was produced and where it came from.

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.