WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The New York City Council banned Foie Gras, a specialty food product made of duck's fattened liver, making it illegal to sell or serve the dish in the cities' restaurants.
'Foie Gras' means 'fatty liver' in French, which is produced by force-feeding corn to ducks and geese until their livers swell to up to 10 times their normal size. The popular delicacy in French cuisine has high cholesterol content.
42 members of the Council supported a Bill to ban Foie Gras, and six voted against it. Those who violate the law will be fined upto $2,000.
A coalition of more than 50 organizations, led by Voters for Animal Rights, fought for the passage of the Bill while facing stiff opposition from the industry.
'Force-feeding a bird for the sole purpose of making it sick to create some bizarre delicacy is gruesome and inhumane,' said New York City Council Member Justin Brannan.
The city's food industry has vowed to fight back the ban. New York City currently has around 1000 restaurants serving Foie Gras to customers.
California banned Foie Gras in 2012. Its production has been banned by 15 countries.
The New York City Council also voted to pass a number of other laws aimed to stop cruelty on animals. It regulated the horse-drawn carriage industry, protecting horses from being forced to work in extreme temperatures.
The council passed an important measure to protect wild birds from poaching. It also passed a resolution supporting a statewide ban on the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in pet stores.
In another key measure, New York voted to increase the mandatory fines for abusing dogs by keeping them chained.
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