The factory farming and force feeding of ducks for foie gras must remain one of the most distressing and sickening examples of the exploitation, abuse and suffering of factory farmed animals in existence today. To produce foie gras (meaning fatty liver) ducks or geese are closely confined in single cages and force fed by thrusting a pipe down their throat, pumping food into them up to three times a day. This force feeding, cramming or 'gavage' as it is known in France , causes their livers to swell grotesquely.

By the time the birds are ready for slaughter their livers will have swelled to about 10 times their normal size.

The swollen liver expands the abdomen and can lead to haemorrhaging, meanwhile walking and breathing are likely to become a problem. Not surprisingly, the mortality rate of ducks on foie gras farms is up to 20 times greater than that of regular poultry farms.

90% of the birds kept for foie gras production today are ducks, simply because they're cheaper to keep and feed. They are treated as no more than 'resources'. From the moment they are encaged, they are deprived of any semblance of freedom or opportunity to pursue their natural behaviours and instincts.

Although production is prohibited in the UK under general animal protection legislation, the UK remains one of France 's principal customers for raw foie gras.

Compassion in World Farming is campaigning to limit the sale of this cruelly-produced product and increase awareness of the plight of these birds.

And this is where you come in. There are two clear actions that you can take:

• Firstly, you can support our campaign by giving what you can to help fund urgently needed resources to boost awareness of the reality behind the production of foie gras.
  
• Secondly, please download and print our restaurant card. Then, should you at any time find yourself in a restaurant serving foie gras, please leave the 'restaurant card' with your bill indicating to the restaurant manager why you are declining to leave a tip.

For more information please visit our 'exotic foods' information page.