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On the heels of its recent Selfridges victory, PETA U.K. has named Sir Roger Moore 2009's Person of the Year.

The celebrated actor's tireless and successful efforts against foie gras began three years ago when Moore narrated a video about its production that has attracted more than 300,000 viewers. Since then, Moore has written to every member of the House of Commons asking them to help end foie gras sales in the U.K. and penned many pieces for national publications in his unending attempt to spread the word against the deadly force-feeding of ducks and geese.

For his inspiring accomplishments, Moore will be honored with a plaque and a copy of PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk's One Can Make a Difference.

Posted by Logan Scherer

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The splendid news comes from Sir Roger Moore, PETA UK's committed celebrity spokesperson, who received the call directly from Selfridges. Moore's unwavering dedication, along with the inspiring passion of PETA UK's campaigners, attracted endless attention on television, in newspapers, and around the Internet—wherever you turned, PETA UK was there, spreading the message to give up foie gras.

This towering triumph is proof that every e-mail, phone call, and letter matters. Please help spread the success by writing to managers of local restaurants that still sell the vile food. Alert them to the gross cruelty behind foie gras, and ask them to remove it from their menus.

Posted by Logan Scherer

On Saturday, dozens of PETA UK members in duck masks descended on the Oxford Street Selfridge's for a flash mob–style protest. The "ducks" converged on the storefront, did a few rounds of the "birdie dance" (affectionately referred to as the "chicken dance" on this side of the pond), and dispersed.

The action was part of PETA UK's campaign against foie gras—and against Selfridge's for its refusal to stop selling the cruelly produced, diseased, fatty liver.

Oh, and they were led by the most adorable duck costume I've seen yet.

Are there words to the chicken dance? No one seems to know for sure.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Have you been sitting around the house, wondering why your old chum, Sir Roger Moore, hasn't given you a ring lately?

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Truthfully, me neither, but if you are ever given the chance to get on his good side, you should know that opting for foie gras over truffles will get you pulled from his next party's guest list.

In a recent article for the Daily Mail, Sir Roger writes about the horrors of the foie gras industry, in which birds are force-fed, often until their livers burst. "I refuse to speak to old friends who, even when they know how it is produced, are prepared to overlook the suffering for self-gratification," states Sir Roger. "My wife, Christina, feels just the same. No creature deserves to be treated as these birds are for our delectation."

Talk about commitment to a cause.

Want to know what else Sir Roger Moore is doing in support of PETA's campaign to get foie gras eliminated from menus across the globe? Check out the rest of the article here.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

As Agent 007, Sir Roger Moore battled the bad guys—but as a real-life Knight of the British Empire, Moore has spent the past several years battling the cruel foie gras industry.

When Moore heard about PETA Europe's campaign to urge Selfridges to stop selling foie gras—he sent a private letter to Selfridges' owner, Galen Weston, offering to buy up the company's entire remaining stock of the cruelly produced food if Weston agreed never to restock it again.

Sir Roger Moore still reigns as our favorite James Bond.

Always the classy gentleman, Moore gave Weston the chance to make this deal behind the scenes—but Selfridges has not responded to Moore's generous offer, so he has taken it to the airwaves. Check out his recent interview on the topic.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

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But after taking the time to visit a foie gras farm, this chef changed her tune.

"You see ducks who have lived outside then put in small crates … and force fed," she told The Guardian. "They can't stand up or move. You can see their livers bursting out of their skin. Nobody can tell me that's not cruel."

And for anyone who tries to tell you it's not, *cough* Olivier Berté *cough*, I have a suggestion. How about volunteering yourself to have a metal piped forced down your throat and then have 20 to 30 percent of your body weight in food shoveled into your body two to three times a day?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

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The AVMA plans to team up veterinarians and employees of Pike Place Fish Market for a dead fish sea kitten toss at its upcoming convention in Seattle. The event organizers promise that the event will be "outrageously fun."

Come again?

My gut tells me that the AVMA wouldn't dare try to organize a dead cat toss—so why not show the same consideration for sea kittens? The AVMA is turning a blind eye to the deaths of billions of sea kittens who suffocate on boat decks or are cut open while they are still conscious—all thanks to the cruel fishing industry. And those sea kittens feel pain, just like land kittens do.

Conventiongoers could get a uniquely Seattle experience by spending a few hours at the Experience Music Project and then visiting the Space Needle—a fun and cruelty-free afternoon.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Yesterday, Nicola McLean—model, star of I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, and all-around hottie—teamed up with our friends over at PETA Europe to wish the dastardly European department store Selfridge's an "Unhappy Birthday."

Nicola, flanked by two other models, burst out of a cake in front of Selfridges' Oxford Street store despite the inclement weather. The ladies simply sizzled in yellow bikinis (a nod to the store's centenary Big Yellow Festival celebrations) as they urged the chain to remove cruel foie gras from its shelves.

"While Selfridges celebrates its centenary, ducks and geese who are force-fed for foie gras die before their first birthday and have nothing to celebrate," says Nicola. "I won't be shopping at Selfridges until they stop selling foie gras." You say it, girl!

You can join Nicola in the campaign against the foie gras–peddling store by clicking here.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

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In a blind taste test, participants were given five food samples that included foie gras, pâté, liverwurst, Spam, and dog food. They were then asked to pick which one was the Fido fodder. Of the eighteen participants, only three were able to identify the dog food!

Can I get a “woof, woof”?! And of course some help banning this cruel product ...

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

We can never resist a good birthday party … and neither can our friends over at PETA Europe! Yesterday, Selfridges—a European department store that continues selling foie gras despite public outcry—celebrated its 100th birthday, and PETA Europe, along with former Miss UK (and current vegetarian) Brooke Johnston, joined the party by unveiling Brooke's new "Selfridges: Force-Feeding Is Cruel" billboard.

PETA Europe's touring billboard is slated to make the rounds of Selfridges stores across the UK this summer.

Brooke was on hand for a force-feeding protest too.

Happy birthday, Selfridges! While your employees were inside gorging on birthday cake, somewhere ducks were being force-fed until their internal organs ruptured.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

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As you might expect, we got in touch with Newsom's office to say that we'd been hearing from concerned folks. We let Hizzoner know that we were sure that once the issue was brought to his attention, he would want to make sure that PlumpJack pulls the foie gras—especially in light of the impending statewide ban and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' resolution supporting restaurants that shun foie gras.

Long story short, we got a quick call back from Newsom's sister—herself a vegetarian—assuring us that they've pulled foie gras from all their restaurants. Apparently, it was supposed to have been phased out years ago, but somehow it crept back in, so she thanked us for bringing it back to their attention.

No problem, Newsom clan. Thank you for being so ducky to ducks.

Posted by Jeff Mackey

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So, we're hosting a contest to find one!

For PETA's Fine Faux Foie Gras challenge, the winning chef must create a purely vegetarian foie gras that must be almost indistinguishable in taste and texture from the real thing. The grand prize winner will win a $10,000 prize and two runners-up will each receive $1,000 worth of professional kitchen equipment.

Click here to check out the full rules and to find out how to enter.

Good luck, and bon appétit.

Posted by Christine Doré

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We're for real here, folks. Foie gras, which is French for 'fatty liver,' is produced by shoving pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and force-feeding them until their livers become fatty and often diseased. Foie gras is considered so cruel that its production is banned in 15 countries, including the U.K., where Selfridges is based. Prince Charles has banned foie gras from all Royal menus this year, and House of Fraser, Makro, Harvey Nichols, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, and every major U.K. supermarket have already banned foie gras from their shelves. Clearly, Selfridges is the one in need of an enlarged internal organ (specifically, a heart).

Collins joins Sir Roger Moore and the Duchess of Hamilton in urging Selfridges to drop foie gras from their shelves. Are you outraged by the cruelty that is shoved down the throats of these birds? Speak up!

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

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Disney World's compassionate decision is part of a growing trend among businesses to distance themselves from this cruel product. Just ask Target, Giant Eagle, and Harvey Nichols—three huge chains that recently caved in to pressure from PETA and its affiliates and pulled foie gras off their shelves. The production of foie gras has also already been banned in 15 nations—including the U.K., Germany, Israel, and Switzerland—as well as in the state of California.

While this is all a giant waddle in the right direction, we're not going to stop campaigning against foie gras until everyone stops forcing ducks to be organ donors. Today Disney World, tomorrow the rest of the world! For more info about this nasty stuff and to take a pledge to say "nah" to foie gras, click here.

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

The progressive Chicago foie gras ban, sponsored by Alderman Joe Moore and originally passed in 2006 by a vote of 48-1, has been repealed today due to shameless manipulation by restaurant industry lobbyists to bring the diseased, rotting organs of abused ducks and geese back to Chicago’s restaurants.

In the course of our work to keep this ban intact, we’ve talked to thousands of people on the streets of Chicago, the overwhelming majority of whom were horrified when they learned about the cruelty behind foie gras. Many of these people joined us in vocal support for Chicago’s progressive ban of the barbaric product. Unfortunately, in large part thanks to a handful of powerful people, battling wealthy industries can be a long, hard battle, regardless of where the public stands on the issue.

This decision is a big step backwards for the city, and it goes against the tide of civilized communities who are making the compassionate decision to ban foie gras.

It’s pretty clear from the desperate angling we’ve seen from the foie gras industry as they’ve fought against this ban that they know their days are numbered, but it’s a hell of a shame to see that, even in their death throes, they can still find a way to poison a beautiful thing. PETA will keep fighting to pass more foie gras bans and to educate the public about this delicacy of despair. You can count on that.

Deflocked. ♥

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"The Prince of Wales has asked me to write and thank you for your letter about animal welfare issues surrounding the production of foie gras and your experience in Tetbury. I just wanted to reassure you that The Prince of Wales has a policy that his chefs should not buy foie gras. His Royal Highness was not aware that the House of Cheese sells foie gras and this will be addressed when their warrant is reviewed."

That’s about as big a boost to Britain’s growing movement to permanently ban the sale of foie gras as you could hope for: If the few remaining establishments that are still selling the stuff won’t take it from outraged consumers, they might want to think twice about ignoring a frickin’ royal mandate. PETA’s president sent a letter to the Prince today, thanking him for taking this compassionate stand, and we’re hoping that this positive example from overseas will influence cities like Chicago to stand by their decisions to ban this cruel delicacy forever. Thank you, Prince Charles.

A little while back, longtime PETA member and superstar intern Mark Wiesenfeld discovered that Target was selling foie gras online, along with a book about the barbaric product written by one of the owners of Hudson Valley Foie Gras—the folks responsible for many of the nightmarish scenes caught on tape in this investigation.

As soon as we contacted the company to let them know about the cruelty behind this product (produced by force feeding ducks until their livers become diseased and engorged) they immediately pulled both items from their site. As you may be aware, there are quite a few corporations that kick up a great big fuss when it comes to making ethical changes in their business (I’m looking at you, KFC), so Target’s prompt action in this case is commendable, and we’re extremely grateful for it.

People tend to hear a whole lot about some of the edgier stuff PETA does (the naked demonstrations, the provocative ads, the quirky videos), but—although it may not make the news—we spend a lot of our time working behind the scenes with big companies to encourage them to make changes that will help animals, so it’s great to have this opportunity to talk about that important aspect of our work. Target’s decision is part of a growing trend among institutions that are taking steps to distance themselves from hideously cruel products like foie gras, and with more and more companies adopting this progressive attitude, we’re getting very close to a time when it will be banned outright in this country.

For more information about the cruelty involved in making foie gras, and to take a pledge never to eat the stuff, please click here.

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"This is very much a first in the UK. We are the first council to take such a stand and we will be sending out the message loud and clear that York is a foie gras-free zone."

Unfortunately, this doesn't amount to an outright ban on foie gras sales in the city, but it's a hell of a good start. Most of the foie gras in England is imported from France, which has declared the product "part of the cultural and gastronomic patrimony" — a very sophisticated French way of saying "we don't give a crap about anything". The good folks in PETA Europe are working hard to push other cities to follow York's example, so I'll keep you posted on how that goes, and we'll see what the French foie gras producers have to say about their ludicrous "gastronomic patrimony" once compassionate people throughout Europe send their sales plummeting.

Congratulations to York and to everyone who helped to work on this campaign!

I'm excited to let everyone know that following negotiations with PETA Europe representatives, UK-based luxury department store Harvey Nichols has ended foie gras sales at all of its stores. For you non-British readers out there, Harvey Nichols is a super posh chain of stores, kind of like Barney’s or Bergdorf Goodman in the US, so this is a very big deal.

This happened a few weeks ago, but I never gave PETA Europe props for it. Better late than never I guess. Anyway, PETA Europe isn’t resting on its laurels after this victory. They’re already targeting another big UK chain, Selfridge’s, and you can help by clicking here.

I think I've talked before about how amazing PETA Germany is at coming up with stuff that's totally out of left field. They're literalists, when it comes to demonstrations, and the results are often indescribably compelling. Faced with the problem of how to convey to people just how gruesome the force-feeding of ducks for foie gras is, the Germans simply brushed aside all objections and created the world's first-ever Force-Feeding Demo. Great work, PETA G. You guys rule.

I just love Bea Arthur. She has been speaking up for animals for years, most recently narrating this moving KFC video and helping with our Petsmart campaign. Now she is turning up the heat on Beverly Hills restaurant Matsuhisa—where she has been a loyal customer since it opened in 1987—for serving cruel foie gras. Check out her letter below.

Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, Owner
Matsuhisa Restaurant
129 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

Dear Nobu,

I have been a loyal fan of Matsuhisa since its opening in 1987 and have dined there nearly every week after. I have always loved the food, the décor, and the staff. That’s why I was so dismayed when I recently learned that foie gras is available in the restaurant’s side room. I cannot, in good conscience, continue dining at your restaurant as long as foie gras is offered.

The cruelty of the foie gras industry is staggering. The only way to produce foie gras is by ramming pipes down the throats of ducks and geese and force-feeding them until their livers become painfully diseased. These poor birds are pumped so full of grain and fat that their livers swell to up to 10 times the normal size. Then the animals are killed, and their diseased livers are sold as foie gras.

The world is speaking out against the cruelty inherent in foie gras production. Chicago enacted a ban on the sale of foie gras last year, and Wolfgang Puck recently dropped this cruel “delicacy” from his menu. As you know, in 2012, California will join 15 countries, including Israel, Germany, Switzerland, and the U.K., in banning the production of foie gras—and will join Chicago in banning its sale. I am an avid supporter of this cause, and I lobbied for the foie gras ban in Sacramento. It would be both savvy and compassionate of you to remove foie gras from Matsuhisa’s menu before the ban takes effect in 2012.

I am enclosing a copy of a video, narrated by Sir Roger Moore, depicting the horrific abuse of animals on foie gras farms. I hope that you will watch it and make the compassionate decision to remove foie gras from your menu. Only once I know that Matsuhisa stands firmly against cruelty to animals will I be able to return to my favorite restaurant.

Please contact me via Lisa Lange at PETA.

Yours truly,

Bea Arthur

… apart from the fact that most of them are reprehensible hedonists who care more about living the high life than living a good life—though they probably knew that already. Turns out that foie gras is a carrier for a rare but exceptionally nasty little disease called amyloidosis, which is akin to Mad Cow disease—another little gift from the meat industry to its buying public. You can read more about the discovery here, though as far as I'm concerned, the only reasons that anyone could possibly need to boycott this particular “delicacy” are right here:

In other foie gras news, my good friend Noah, who works for a group called Central Texas Animal Defense, has been very busy this month helping restaurants in his hometown of Austin get the foie gras off their menus for good. You can read about his efforts here.

Check out this amazing song and video made by Bryan Harrell in support of the Chicago foie gras ban. I particularly love the shot of signs that are popping up all over town because Mayor Daley is pushing to bring the Olympics to the city . . .

If you live in Chicago, this is especially important for you, because Mayor Richard Daley and Alderman Ed Burke are working hard to repeal one of the most important animal protection laws ever passed, the Chicago foie gras ban. Meat-industry lobbyists are putting enormous pressure on Chicago's aldermen to repeal the law, and the aldermen may vote any day on whether or not to repeal the ban.

For those not familiar with it, foie gras is a “delicacy” made by shoving pipes down the throats of ducks and geese in order to pump massive quantities of fat and grain into their stomachs until their livers become painfully diseased. The ducks are then violently killed, and their bloated, diseased livers are sold as foie gras. Foie gras is so cruel it has already been banned in 15 nations—including the U.K., Germany, Israel, and Switzerland—as well as in the state of California. Even many grocery stores, including Whole Foods, refuse to sell foie gras.

If you live in Chicago, please click here to find out how you can help keep this horribly cruel product banned in your city.

We’re also currently blitzing Chicago TV stations with this ad featuring Sir Roger Moore, the best 007 ever . . .