Invitation to Adopt a Turkey: Man Who Drove Thousands of Miles to Rescue Them from Thanksgiving Dinner

An individual who traveled great distances to rescue turkeys from being eaten on Thanksgiving is urging Americans to adopt a turkey this holiday season to provide them with a compassionate home.

Gene Baur, the president, CEO, and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, has been a leader in animal welfare since the 1980s by advocating for better treatment of animals in the factory farm industry. Baur, who grew up eating meat, became involved in the movement as a young adult after learning about the cruelty inflicted on animals.

The CEO encourages Americans to adopt a new custom and financially support a rescued turkey rather than purchasing a slaughtered one.

"During Thanksgiving, there is a lot of publicity about eating turkeys, which is difficult for me as someone who cares about animals because I believe that turkeys are not much different from cats, dogs, or other animals in their desire to live. It is challenging to be at a holiday feast with a dead animal, such as a turkey, in the center of the table. If it were a cat or dog, people would react differently. To make Thanksgiving more meaningful, we started a program to rescue turkeys and place them in good homes. Initially, we drove across the country, placing rescued turkeys in homes from the East Coast to California."

Cruelty cases lead to the rescue of turkeys from different locations, which are then taken to the sanctuary.

"Once they arrive, they are considered our friends, not our food," he stated. "They are companions, not commodities."

Instead of placing a dead turkey on the Thanksgiving table, Baur suggests replacing it with a picture of a rescued turkey.

He explained that while a turkey can be included in a Thanksgiving meal, it would be considered an honored guest rather than the main course.

Baur highlighted that turkeys, like all creatures, possess "emotions" and "deserve to be treated with compassion."

"At Farm Sanctuary, we have friendly turkeys that are fond of people and will come up to you. They are curious and good-natured, and when you go out in the barnyard, they'll jump on your lap and follow you around like a puppy dog."