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Farm Sanctuary Releases Statement On Fire At Foie Gras Facility That Killed 15,000

Watkins Glen, NY - October 31, 2007 - Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, has released the following statement by Farm Sanctuary President Gene Baur in response to Tuesday's fire that killed 15,000 animals at Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the largest foie gras production facility in the United States.

"Farm Sanctuary mourns the loss of the thousands of ducks who burned to death inside the walls of Hudson Valley Foie Gras' massive factory farm. As this tragedy illustrates, the confinement of so many animals within such a small space is literally a disaster waiting to happen. Unfortunately, as horrible as the suffering of the ducks who burned must have been, the suffering that awaits the survivors is equally horrific."

Ducks used for foie gras are confined inside dark sheds and force-fed enormous amounts of food several times a day through a pipe shoved down their throats. In just a matter of weeks, the ducks become grossly overweight and their livers expand up to 10 times their normal size, making it difficult for the birds to walk or even breathe. This extremely cruel and inhumane production creates a diseased liver, which is sold as a delicacy. Veterinarians and other animal experts, along with religious leaders, businesses and legal scholars, have called for an end to the cruelty of foie gras.

"Being force-fed to the brink of death in order to produce foie gras is an agonizing fate and one of the most extreme forms of cruelty imaginable. We hope this tragedy serves to reinforce the need for New York and other states and localities to abolish foie gras production and sale completely."

More information on Farm Sanctuary's No Foie Gras Campaign can be found at www.nofoiegras.org.

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.