FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 10, 2000 |
Contact: Karen Davis 757-678-7875
Karen@upc-online.org
Franklin@upc-online.org
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UNITED POULTRY CONCERNS WILL HOLD PROTEST DEMONSTRATION AT FOIE GRAS
SEMINAR IN WASHINGTON DC WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2OOO
Wine Tasting Association Targeted for Protest
Machipongo, VA - Barring cancellation of the Wine Tasting
Association's seminar on duck liver foie gras, United Poultry
Concerns, a national animal protection organization, will protest the
WTA's promotion of foie gras.
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street, NW, Washington DC
Wednesday October 18th 6:30 - 7:30 PM
United Poultry Concerns, the ASPCA. PETA and other groups and
individuals have urged WTA president Mark Phillips to cancel the
seminar, explaining that foie gras is produced by force feeding ducks
and geese to distend their livers and make the organs mushy, greasy,
and diseased.
While Mr. Phillips concedes he knows that the ducks have tubes rammed
down their throats in order to produce the pathologic liver, he says
he does not consider this cruel, even though he is an "animal lover."
Mr. Phillips told United Poultry Concerns he believes producers'
claim that "the birds actually come to the feeder when the person
enters the room" to shove the mechanical pump down their throats. In
fact, and more sensibly, ducks and geese show fear behavior when the
force feeders appear in the sheds. "We're talking about a FORCE
feeding procedure, not a choice feeding behavior," says United
Poultry Concerns president Karen Davis. "Anyone who has been around
ducks and geese knows perfectly well that they do not, and would not,
consent to being handled this way unless they were too ill to fight
they're doing more than just 'tasting' the wine. If they call off
their show we'll call off our ducks. Otherwise, we'll be there,
quacking and hissing."
Other Info:
10/17/2000: News Release - UPC Protest Tomorrow At Foie Gras Seminar
10/10/2000: UPC Letter to Omni Shoreham Hotel Re: WTA Foie Gras Seminar
10/9/2000: UPC Letter to Wine Tasting Association Re: Foie Gras Seminar
10/9/2000: Action Alert - Cancel WTA Foie Gras Seminar
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