In a major step toward ending the cruel force-feeding of birds in the nation’s capital, advocates have gathered enough signatures to place Initiative 86, the Prohibiting Force-Feeding of Birds Act of 2026, on the November ballot in Washington, D.C., according to local news.
If approved by voters, the measure would prohibit the practice of force-feeding ducks, geese, and other poultry, as well as the commercial sale and distribution of foie gras and other fattened bird liver products within the District.
It would also ban the import of these products for commercial purposes, impose fines of $1,000 to $5,000 for violators, and allow business licenses to be suspended or revoked for repeated violations within a 12-month period.
In the final weeks of their lives, ducks and geese exploited for foie gras have a foot-long tube forced down their throats multiple times a day and huge amounts of food pumped into their stomachs, leaving them with swollen and diseased livers.
Struggling to breathe and walk — and vulnerable to infections — these innocent birds endure extreme suffering, only to be slaughtered for a so-called luxury food.
Further highlighting the urgent need for this measure, a recent report examining 21 major U.S. metropolitan areas found that Washington, D.C., is tied with Las Vegas for the second-highest number of confirmed restaurants serving foie gras, behind only New York City.
Lady Freethinker is deeply grateful to the dedicated, on-the-ground activists who helped get this initiative on the ballot, and we hope D.C. voters will show up for birds subjected to force-feeding this November.
