Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time for peace and gratitude—but for 46 million turkeys in the U.S. alone, Thanksgiving means suffering and pain.
From the moment they hatch until they are brutally slaughtered, turkeys live short, miserable lives in deplorable conditions on crowded, disease-ridden factory farms. Separated from their mothers, baby turkeys are hatched in large incubators and have their beaks painfully cut off before they are even 72 hours old in order to keep them from attacking one another. They are then packed into small, filthy sheds and fattened up—some growing so large their legs can't support their weight.
At slaughter time, the torture only gets worse. Turkeys are violently shackled upside-down on a hanging conveyor belt while fully conscious and are dipped into an electrified water bath to stun them. Then, a mechanized blade slits their throats and the birds are plunged into a scalding water tank to prep them for feather removal. Many of them wind up being boiled alive.
Turkeys and other animals are smart, sensitive creatures that do not deserve to be tortured for the sake of someone's dinner. If you're still looking for a reason to keep cruelty off your plate, here are five amazing facts about turkeys that prove they're just like us.
Keep cruelty off your plate this holiday season!
- Choose delicious, plant-based alternatives for your Thanksgiving feast. Most grocery stores carry vegan holiday roasts in the freezer aisles or produce section.
- Make every day cruelty-free! Download LCA's free Eat Cruelty-Free Guide to help you get started.
- Spread the word by educating your friends and family about veganism.
Click here to learn more about factory farmed animals.
Photo: Pixabay