Another Major U.S. City Will Protect Ducks and Geese From Cruelty

Following the victory in New York this spring, which saw the city's foie gras ban upheld by the state's appellate courts, another major U.S. city has now taken action against this cruel industry.

On June 4, Portland, Oregon's City Council voted to approve a ban on the sale of foie gras produced through force-feeding ducks and geese. The measure passed by a vote of 7-5 despite opposition from the foie gras industry and will take effect on December 1, 2026.

The vote followed a series of hearings where hundreds of animal advocates and advocacy organizations spoke out about the suffering endured by birds used in foie gras production and urged lawmakers to reject a product built on animal cruelty.

Foie gras, which translates to "fatty liver," is produced by force-feeding ducks and geese through metal or plastic tubes inserted down their throats multiple times a day until their livers swell to many times their normal size, causing severe liver disease. This process, known as gavage, causes injuries, extreme physical distress, and significant psychological suffering before the birds are ultimately slaughtered.

The cruelty involved in foie gras production has led to bans and restrictions around the world, and growing numbers of Americans are rejecting the practice. Yet despite increasing public opposition, this product continues to be sold in most of the United States even though it is the direct result of intentionally making animals sick.

Victories like those in New York City and Portland are important and worth celebrating — they protect animals, shift public opinion, and demonstrate that communities do not want products of extreme animal cruelty sold in their restaurants and stores. But the fight does not stop at the city or state level. Foie gras should already be illegal across the entire United States under the Poultry Products Inspection Act, which requires that diseased poultry carcasses and parts be condemned — and foie gras is the direct product of birds suffering from a deliberately induced disease. We will keep pushing for the federal action that would extend these protections to ducks and geese everywhere.

Please sign our petition on behalf of ducks and geese to build on the progress of this important victory and to help us keep working toward a total ban on this cruel product in every city and state in the nation.