Help ban Foie Gras Once and For all in San Diego!

Thursday, November 30, 2006

After two years of campaigning and convincing most restaurants in San Diego to stop selling "foie gras" (liver from cruelly force fed ducks), we may soon have a local ban on the sale of this product of animal torture. Councilmember Donna Frye, Chair of the Natural Resources Committee, is giving APRL the opportunity to present our case next week to her committee for why foie gras should be banned in San Diego.

Please contact the offices of the below committee members who will be voting on whether to pass this ordinance on to the full City Council:

Councilmember Kevin Faulconer
202 C Street, MS #10A
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 236-6622
Fax: (619) 236-6996
CouncilDistrict2@sandiego.gov

Councilmember Toni Atkins
202 C Street, MS #10A
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 236-6633
Fax: (619) 595-1481
Email: toniatkins@sandiego.gov

Councilmember Donna Frye
202 "C" Street, MS #10A
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 236-6616
Fax: (619) 236-7329
Email: donnafrye@sandiego.gov

Councilmember Ben Hueso
202 "C" Street, MS #10A
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 236-6688
Fax: (619) 231-7918
E-Mail: benhueso@sandiego.gov

Talking points:

* Foie gras is always made by force feeding ducks or geese to the point of organ rupture and death, in order to enlarge their livers up to 10 times their normal size.
* Many restaurants in San Diego have already removed foie gras because of the cruelty. Its production has been banned in 15 countries around the world, and Chicago recently banned the sale as well.
* A California law passed in 2003 will make it illegal to produce or sell foie gras anywhere in the state, but that law does not take effect until 2012. The San Diego City Attorney recently issued a memo stating that local cities have the authority to ban the item in the meantime.
* For more information on APRL and IDA's campaign against the cruelty of foie gras, visit www.banfoiegras.com.

Be sure when you are calling or writing to mention if you live in one of these councilmember's districts. You can find out whose district you are in at www.sandiego.gov/citycouncil/.

Please also attend the hearing on Dec. 6 at 2pm on the 12th floor of the City Administration Building, 202 C St., San Diego 92101 and show your support!