Alicia Silverstone Exposes Down Industry Cruelty

Vegan, actor, and founder of thekindlife.com Alicia Silverstone has joined forces with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in a new video exposé revealing the often-overlooked cruelty of the down industry. In the public service announcement, Silverstone reveals alarming facts about the geese and ducks used for their feathers—the birds are abruptly pinned down while workers tear the feathers from their bodies, often so hurriedly that the birds skin tears open and workers must sew up the wounds, all without painkillers or anesthetic. The video also reveals how buying down lends support to the foie gras industry, since producers aim to increase profits by selling the feathers of the force-fed birds. PETA recently filed a lawsuit against a California restaurant for selling the “delicacy,” which is banned in the Golden State.