Chicago hot dog joint fined for flouting foie gras ban

[janbo1960]

The owner of a hot dog joint in Chicago has paid $US250 for violating the city's controversial ban on the sale of foie gras, the first time the city has fully enforced the edict.

"This being the first offence, the officer set the fine at $US250, which is the minimum under the ordinance," said Tim Hadac, a spokesman for the city's Department of Public Health.

Doug Sohn, owner of Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog and sausage spot, was represented at the hearing by his lawyer and did not seem unduly worried by the fine.

"I certainly brought this upon myself," said Mr Sohn, who admitted going out of his way to test the city's commitment to a ban which Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley himself has called the 'silliest' by-law ever passed by the city council.

"I was sort of poking and prodding to see how seriously the law was going to be taken," said Mr Sohn.

"I wanted to see how far they would take it."

Health department officials have cited a dozen restaurants and delicatessens in this mid-west city since the prohibition became effective in August, 2006.

A first offence merits a warning and a second earns the offender a fine, which can range up to $US500.

A city alderman sponsored the ban on the grounds that force feeding ducks and geese to fatten their livers is tantamount to animal cruelty.

Foie gras - French for fatty liver - is commonly produced by force feeding ducks and geese so their livers become engorged and expand up to 10 times the normal size.

- AFP

[faceless]

foie gras on a hotdog? I'm not sure which I'm more offended at.

[IRiSHMaFIA]

I'd not eat hotdogs in the first place as they're basically the rubbish left over from animals....sort of like chickens lips and arseholes (yeah yeah chickens don't have lips so sue me)

I find it offensive to force feed ducks and geese this shite as the results must obviously make them suffer, and although I know that's not what this article is really about I have to voice my disdain.

Man has enough to eat from killing animals so why does he have to make more suffer just for his greedy appetite.