Skylark, please stop selling foie gras!

SKYLARK, the Japanese nationwide family restaurant chain, which includes Gusto and Jonathan, is continuing to sell foie gras. So far, it has bought over 30 tons of foie gras directly from producers ― that’s over fifty thousand birds.
Foie gras is produced through gavage, the forced administration of food.
Everyday, for two to three weeks, ducks and geese are force-fed between one- fourth and one-third of their body weight, by means of a long feeding tube that is forced down directly into their stomachs, so they can’t vomit.
It is written that SKYLARK’s foie gras has IGP Certification. However IGP Certification is a production area certification – It tells us nothing about what kind of treatment and conditions the animals endure.
All foie gras production involves gavage.
SKYLARK admits that the force-feeding of birds is taking place, but seems to think that “cruelty-free” gavage is being performed.
We however, maintain that it is impossible to perform gavage without cruelty.
The footage below shows scenes of gavage taken in three IGP-Certification firms.
http://www.l214.com/enquetes/foie-gras-Elysee-Perigord/
Gavage is now prohibited in almost all member states of the European Union.
Israel used to be world’s fourth largest producer of foie gras but it has already prohibiteaad the production of foie gras in its own country, and discussions are underway about also banning the import and selling of foie gras produced by gavage.
·       In December, 2013, Amazon UK prohibited the sale of foie gras through its web site.
·       In January, 2014, the last supermarket chain in Denmark to sell foie gras, stopped dealing in foie gras.
·       In January, 2014, Family Mart, one of the biggest convenience store chains in Japan, stopped selling boxed lunches which contain foie gras.
·       In July, 2014, India prohibited the import of foie gras.
This anti-gavage movement is also prevailing in the apparel business, where outdoor brands such as The North Face and Patagonia have declared that they will not use down from birds on which gavage has been performed.
In Japan, UNIQLO has not used down from gavage-birds since the 2013 Autumn/ Winter season.

There are many people who hope for an end to cruelty.
According to an ARC Japan survey, on animals used in food production, conducted last year:
When people, who hadn’t, previously, known how foie gras was produced, were informed:
51.5% said: “I no longer want to eat it”.
22.6% said: “I don’t really want to eat it any more”.
This shows that when informed how foie gras is produced, 74.1% of people show an aversion to foie gras.
SKYLARK says that although they have no plans to stop selling foie gras for now, they are willing to hear various opinions on the sale of foie gras and take them into consideration.
We will send SKYLARK our petition in the hope that that they will make an animal-friendly choice and stop dealing in foie gras.

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Animal Rights Center Japan is an NPO working to raises awareness about Animal Rights, and create a network for people interested in animal issues.