Inform and act
INFORMATION STANDS
The association regularly holds information stands on foie gras, particularly in the autumn and up to Christmas as this is the most important time of year for the foie gras industry. We show pictures of the rearing and slaughtering of ducks in the foie gras industry. These are images taken by L214/Stop Gavage in French farms. We present leaflets that describe very well the different stages of raising ducks for foie gras production to help people who take them to convince their entourage to stop eating foie gras.
We also seek to remind people that force-feeding is forbidden in Switzerland. We have realised that many people are unaware of this, especially the younger ones. It seems to us essential that this is made known to as many people as possible. There is a good reason why force-feeding is forbidden in Switzerland: it's a form of abuse!
And of course, the stands are an opportunity to taste alternatives to foie gras, mainly the Faux Gras de Gaïa, which is becoming increasingly popular.
Informing the public is of paramount importance to us. What could be better than meeting them in the street or in the markets? To find out where and when, follow us on social networks.
EVENTS
Every year, around 25 November, on the occasion of World Day Against Foie Gras, a demonstration is held in front of the Migros Métropole in Lausanne. This event, organised in recent years by the association PEA – Pour l’Égalité Animale, has almost become a tradition for animalist associations fighting against foie gras. For Stop Gavage Suisse, it is a must, and we hope to see many of you there again this year.
Why in front of the Migros? Migros is the largest retailer of foie gras in Switzerland. It should be noted that Coop has stopped selling it since 2001, mainly for ethical reasons.
SURVEY
In December 2018, the Demoscope Institute carried out a survey of a representative sample of the Swiss population on behalf of our association and Four Paws Switzerland. The survey revealed some expected results, such as the fact that it is mainly the French-speakers of Switzerland who consume foie gras, but also some more surprising findings, such as the fact that there is actually little interest in plant-based alternatives to foie gras.
We are planning to conduct further surveys to assess the development of Swiss attitudes towards foie gras.
SOCIAL NETWORKS AND INTERNET
Today, social networks are the best tools to disseminate widely and at low-cost ideas and reflections on the foie gras issue. This is why Stop Gavage Suisse is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter et YouTube. Follow us!
ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
Information is the best weapon we have to change the situation with the public, which is why we organise advertising campaigns to reach as many people as possible. However, advertising campaigns have a rather high cost, be it poster campaigns or newspaper campaigns, which is why we need your support to be able to achieve more.
ADVERTISING WITHIN 20 MINUTES
In the autumn of 2017, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance an advertisement against foie gras in the 20 minutes, a free newspaper that is read by more than 500,000 people in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
Thanks to the generosity of many donors, as well as the L214 and LSCV, associations, the crowdfunding made it possible to publish the advertisement on 23 November 2017. This publicity made it possible to inform a large number of people that force-feeding is prohibited in Switzerland. We hope that it will have been able to convince some people to ban this product from their plates.
POSTER CAMPAIGN WITH OUR LOGO
From the end of November to the end of December 2019, the association Four Paws Switzerland carried out a poster campaign against foie gras in Switzerland. As we supported this campaign, our logo was also on the poster.
RESEARCH
To give ourselves every chance of succeeding in our mission, it is essential to know the foie gras sector well.
It is above all an agricultural sector, of which more than 97% of the production is done in Europe, three quarters of which is in France. Like all agricultural sectors, it is driven by the logic of profit. Foie gras is a so-called luxury product, even if most buyers are not wealthy... Thus, notably because of this luxury image, image damage can have a very strong impact on sales, as shown by the drop in consumption in France following the L214 campaigns.
The Stop Gavage Suisse association is therefore perfectly familiar with the sector and follows with interest the news concerning it, whether it be the evolution of the market and legislation, or the anti-foie gras campaigns of animalist associations in Switzerland or elsewhere.
The articles section of the site offers, in the form of a blog, the results of our research and analyses related to the foie gras industry. You will find topics as varied as foie gras production, the Haab motion, the analysis of the survey on foie gras in Switzerland, how to rescue ducks, recipes for faux gras, producer countries, the legislative context in Switzerland concerning force-feeding, etc.
In politics
CHANGE THE LAW TO GET OUT OF HYPOCRISY
Stop Gavage Suisse wants to act on the level of legislation because we are convinced that concrete progress for animals will only be possible if there is a legal basis. Studies in social psychology show that we cannot rely solely on the goodwill of consumers. Our only option is therefore to ban the product.
In order to change the law, we are exploring all the possibilities offered by the Swiss political structure.
There are two ways of passing a law in Switzerland:
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the popular initiative: this allows the people to propose a change to the constitution. This approach is quite costly, as the initiative sheets have to be sent back to the various communal administrations, and then, if the 100,000 signatures are validated, a communication campaign for the vote has to be financed. We will only be able to use this possibility if we can ensure the financing of the campaign.
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the tabling of a parliamentary object, typically a motion or a parliamentary initiative. To do this, we have to convince parliamentarians, that is lobbying.
This is why we are seeking to establish links with parliamentarians and why we are involved in various groups of associations linked to politics: Coalition animaliste, animaux-parlement.ch, etc. To this date, we have the support of Léonore Porchet (Greens/VD), recently elected to the National Council, who was present at our demonstration in Lausanne at the end of 2019.
Very recently, at the instigation of the Alliance Animale Suisse, le National Councillor national Martin Haab (UDC/ZH) tabled a motion demandant l’interdiction de l’importation de foie gras, during the spring 2020 parliamentary session. We will now do everything we can to support this motion with the other members of parliament.
Duck rescue
EVERY LIFE COUNTS
Millions of them are born every year in industrial hatcheries. They will never know their mother or the outdoors. Depending on their sex, they will live an extremely short life - a few hours for females, or a little longer - three months for males. The former will be crushed alive, as they are not profitable enough to deserve to live, in the eyes of the industry. The latter will suffer the torments of force-feeding and the slaughterhouse. We are trying to save some of them, knowing that in the end the best chance for all the 80 million ducks remains political action.
RELEASE OF DUCKLINGS
Because every life counts, if the possibility arises, it seems important to us to free ducks from the sad fate that awaits them. The association is conducting negotiations with industrial hatcheries and breeders to free ducklings and place them in suitable places where they can live freely and with dignity.
A DUCK POND TO WELCOME THEM
In order to be able to save ducks, you have to find or create places that meet their needs. As they are aquatic animals, it is essential to give them access to a body of water.
Our first project was the adoption of two ducklings less than a day old: Jay and Joy.
They were placed with a person who had a sufficiently large body of water and a great love for animals.
Contrary to what usually happens, these two little males were destined for grinding, as they were considered non-compliant by the foie gras industry. We were lucky enough to follow their development. Unfortunately, Jay left us prematurely. The causes of his death are not well known, but everything suggests that he was attacked by a buzzard. He was 10 weeks old. Joy has made new friends on the pond: ducks and other waterfowl.
Our second project was the adoption of six cans from the hatchery at birth. They were intended to be sold as roasting cans. Again, we found a place with a pond. Unfortunately, a tragedy occurred: one of the cans was caught by a fox. The five others are doing well and have become beautiful, large white cans.
For more details on these rescues, read the article.
We are not going to stop here, but it is necessary to find places with a sufficiently large body of water, which limits possibilities. Please tell us if you know places that could accommodate rescued animals.
SPONSORSHIP
We offer to sponsor our rescued ducks who have been lucky enough to escape the foie gras industry. If you feel like it, go to our sponsorship page.