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PARDON A TURKEY

Give turkeys something to be grateful for this holiday season by choosing a plant-based feast.
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Turkeys
“Pardoned”
Take cruelty off your plate this holiday season—spare a turkey by pledging to serve a plant-based holiday meal and receive our exclusive digital cookbook full of delicious recipes as a thank-you!

“PARDON” A TURKEY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

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WHAT’S WRONG
WITH TURKEY?

Mercy For Animals has conducted seven undercover investigations of factory turkey farms. Every time we have documented horrific cruelty.

These animals never know the love of their mothers or feel the sunlight on their backs or the grass beneath their feet. Instead, they are mutilated without painkillers and crammed by the thousands into dark, windowless sheds.

Over 40 million turkeys will be killed in the United States in November alone. Do your part to protect animals today—pledge to enjoy plant-based holiday meals.

THE TRUTH ABOUT TURKEY FARMS

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WHAT OUR INVESTIGATIONS REVEAL:

  • Painful Mutilations

    To reduce aggressive behaviors stemming from extreme confinement, farmers commonly slice or burn off parts of turkeys’ toes and beaks.

  • Birds Bred to Suffer

    Turkeys are bred to grow so unnaturally large and rapidly that their joints and organs often can’t support them. Many collapse under their own weight or suffer debilitating leg pain, heart attacks, and organ failure.

  • Lives Cut Short

    After just a few months at the farm, turkeys are forced into crowded transport trucks and shipped to slaughter—through any weather extreme, often without food or water.

BY THE NUMBERS

  • 212 MILLION TURKEYS were raised in the United States in 2022, and 5.3 billion pounds of turkey meat are produced each year.

  • That’s roughly the weight of 7 EMPIRE STATE BUILDINGS.

  • 46 MILLION TURKEYS are slaughtered for Thanksgiving in the United States.

  • Turkeys are typically killed between 9 and 21 weeks of age, while their natural LIFESPAN IS 10 YEARS.

CRUELTY CRITICS

The majority of the millions of turkeys raised in the United States each year experience very poor welfare throughout their shortened lives.
—Walter Sánchez-Suárez,
Animal Behavior and Welfare Scientist
Bred for rapid growth, these animals are prone to serious health problems. They are typically farmed in intensive systems that disregard their behavioral needs for the sake of increased profits.
—Walter Sánchez-Suárez,
Animal Behavior and Welfare Scientist
Under U.S. law, turkeys have no welfare protections at slaughter. Sadly, all standard U.S. slaughter methods subject these sensitive animals to severe distress and pain.
—Walter Sánchez-Suárez,
Animal Behavior and Welfare Scientist

Did You Know?

  • BONDED BIRDS

    In the wild, turkeys are highly social, quite affectionate, and happiest in close-knit groups. A hen and her young stay together for as long as five months, and brothers form lifelong bonds.

  • AVIAN EMPATHS

    Turkeys grieve the loss of their flock members, and some are so sensitive to the pain of others that they suffer heart attacks after witnessing the slaughter of a mate.

  • FAMILIES FOREVER

    When turkeys are separated from their flocks, they cry out in distress, calling for their families until they are reunited.

CHOOSE TO LEAVE TURKEYS OFF YOUR PLATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Make your holiday a celebration for birds too. The compassionate recipes in our new digital cookbook—Plant-Powered Holidays: Delicious Recipes for a Turkey-Free Table—are simple, tasty, and sure to appeal to everyone gathered around your table.

Together, we can build a food system that is good for animals, people, and our planet.

Veg Starter Guide

Download our FREE veg starter guide for delicious plant-based recipes.

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ANIMALS NEED YOUR HELP!

You can make a difference for animals by joining Mercy For Animals today.

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