DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES R. FARRELL of Sullivan County, NY was determined to see Amber Canavan in jail. On Tuesday his wish came true when the 29 year-old began a 30-day jail term for trespassing on the property of Hudson Valley Foie Gras. But the real crime behind Farrell’s determined pursuit of Canavan was her video of HVFG’s treatment of its ducks, including the practice of fattening the animals through force feeding.

A worker begins to force the full length of a metal feeding tube down the throat of a duck. Capture from a promotional video by Hudson Valley Foie Gras.

Farrell is not the first prosecutor to come under the spell of the animal industry. In unprecedented incursions on constitutional freedoms, federal officials (EarthDesk 11.2.13) and state officials (EarthDesk 3.8.14) have cracked down on animal activists nationwide.

Farrell’s obsession with Canavan may not end with her imprisonment. His prosecution sets the stage for HVFG’s threat to pursue Canavan with legal action if she continues to criticize the company after she leaves jail.

Emotions’s run high on both sides of the force-feeding debate. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain backs HVFG’s contention there is nothing cruel about the practice. Another supporter of force-feeding offers as proof the following video, which actually does no favor to his cause:

Canavan’s own videos (below) are horrifying to watch. She submitted them to the U.S. Department of Agriculture with an affidavit testifying she “observed sick animals, animals with untreated wounds… and caked in their own feces.”

More about Amber Canavan after July 31.