Thankful For a Second Chance: Photos of Turkeys Rescued from Slaughter
This Thanksgiving, we’re sharing some heartwarming stories of turkeys who were saved from the dinner table.
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us are already planning the delicious dishes we’ll be serving up. This special holiday is a day of gratitude and thanks, but many of us will lade our dinner tables with dishes that harm animals, our communities, and the earth - that certainly doesn’t sound like something to celebrate.
More than 46 million turkeys are killed for this holiday alone and like all factory-famed animals, their lives are painful and tragically short. They’re forced to live in filthy, cramped conditions, and because they’ve been genetically modified to gain weight rapidly, many of them suffer from broken legs. Despite having a natural lifespan of up to ten years, turkeys trapped in the food system are slaughtered at just five months old.
But - thankfully - more and more people are leaving turkeys off their plates this holiday season, with celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Joaquin Phoenix, Alan Cumming, Lisa Edelstein, and Olympian Seba Johnson, all signing Farm Sanctuary’s compassionate pledge. And, to encourage others to join them, we’re sharing some heartwarming stories and photographs of turkeys who were saved from the dinner table.
Jackie "The Queen"
Jackie was just one of 11 baby turkeys that were left at the doors of Farm Sanctuary in 2015. When she arrived, there were telltale signs that she had come from a factory farm - the end of her sensitive beak had been sliced off in a process called “debeaking”. Despite being timid and sick, her bold and lively personality has since shone through and she’s now the confident leader of the flock.
Cornelious
You may have heard of internet-sensation, Esther the Wonder Pig? Well, she has a brother! Cornelious is the adorable, curious turkey who has captured the hearts of viewers all around the world. He lives in Canada with his two human dads and is well-known for his fondness for hugs. In fact, he tends to get just a little bit jealous when someone else gets the cuddles (watch the video below).
You can help support the Happily Ever Esther sanctuary here.
Danielle (or Dani for short)
This sweet girl was rescued from a factory farm at just three months old. Like Jackie, she had been cruelly de-beaked without anesthetic and was understandably fearful when she first arrived at Woodstock Sanctuary. But, over time, she relaxed into the safety of her new surroundings, and now she spends her days exploring with her flockmates.
Heather
In 2015, Heather and her two brothers were rescued from the Thanksgiving table. In her old life, she was treated like an object, and witnessed terrible cruelty towards other turkeys. But now that she is safe and loved, her curious and intelligent nature has blossomed. When someone talks to her, she cocks her head trying to understand, and she enjoys spending time with her human family, eating from their hands.
Malika
Credit: Catskill Sanctuary
Although it’s not certain where Malika came from, she arrived at Catskill Sanctuary in bad condition, making it likely that she was rescued from a factory farm. This lucky individual now spends her days bossing her turkey friends around and taking dust baths.
Learn more about Catskill Sanctuary by listening to the Species Unite podcast episode featuring the sanctuary’s founder, Kathy Stevens, on love, hope, and a vegan world.
Three things you can do to help turkeys this holiday season:
Have a cruelty-free Thanksgiving. Here are our favorite, delicious turkey-free alternatives!
Sign Farm Sanctuary’s Turkey-Free Pledge for a Compassionate Thanksgiving. After signing the pledge, Farm Sanctuary will email you a free holiday e-cookbook, filled with vegan recipes that are perfect for Thanksgiving.
Instead of eating a turkey this Thanksgiving, why not adopt a rescued turkey by choosing from the animals mentioned above?
More stories:
Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.
The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.