For the Sake of One Meal ~ Have a Vegan Thanksgiving and Save Turkeys’ Lives
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, pumpkin flavored everything is everywhere, and families are planning to gather and express gratitude for one another and the gifts of life.
It's time for Thanksgiving.
A time to gather
Estimates are that 68 Million turkeys will die for the sake of this one meal. These birds are born a mere sixteen weeks prior to being killed and brought to market for the Thanksgiving holiday alone.
And, according to the USDA, approximately 212 million turkeys in total will die in the year 2022. That is nearly one bird per every living adult in the United States.
These turkeys are still babies.
Turkeys bred for consumption live unnatural lives of suffering and misery.
Commercial turkeys are kept in close confinement, fed synthetic grain, and grow to a large size in a short period of time. Their beaks and toes are clipped without anesthetics, and those who are too sick or small to be profitable are ground up alive in machines called macerators shortly after birth.
At the conclusion of their short lives, these sensitive and intelligent beings are handled roughly, often times kicked or beaten in the process, to be loaded onto trucks en route to slaughter - where many will literally be boiled while still alive.
En route to slaughter.
Photo credit: Andrew Skowron/We Animals Media
Wild and Free... or not to be.
Wild turkeys spend their days scratching and pecking around in pursuit of seeds and bugs. They coo and call and communicate with one another in flocks. They free range for up to two miles each day. They dust bathe and sun and preen themselves. At night, they roost in trees.
Turkeys kept in confinement are unable to enjoy any of these activities. Even on "free-range" and "organic" farms, animals are limited in their capacity to express their natural instincts and desires.
Turkeys in the wild
Start a New Tradition. Turkeys needn't suffer for others to celebrate.
We can hold true to the annual ritual of Thanksgiving without following outdated traditions that involve the unnecessary suffering of sensitive, intelligent beings. Especially now, when so many cruelty-free alternatives are available online and at the grocer. Check these out!
Some services will even deliver a fully prepared meal to your door-step. Here's one.
OR
Explore the endless array of satisfying and tasty plant-based recipes available online. Start here for Thanksgiving-specific ones.
Berta our rescued turkey