Three
domestic turkeys bound for a Thanksgiving table were rescued by Humane Long
Island.
John DiLeonardo, of the animal advocacy organization, introduced News 12’s Danielle
Campbell to the birds on Friday.
"She
had the end of her beak seared off, the end of her toes cut off, and she was
kept in horrific conditions with thousands in a filthy shed and never saw the
light of day," he said.
Two
turkeys were rescued from a slaughterhouse in Queens. The other fell off a
truck in the Hamptons that was headed to a slaughterhouse. Her leg was broken
and was fixed by a wildlife center in Quogue.
Although
these three birds were rescued, millions are slaughtered for
Thanksgiving – that’s if they don't die first from the avian flu. According to
Humane Long Island, the bird flu outbreak has wiped out millions of turkeys and
driven up the cost of Thanksgiving meals.
"Avian
flu incubates and mutates at these factory farms where these animals are kept
in horrific, filthy, crowded conditions," said DiLeonardo.
Two of
the turkeys are going to a farm sanctuary, but one is up for adoption.
DiLeonardo did have
some positive turkey talk: the wild turkey population is making a comeback on
Long Island.
"We
hunted them almost to extinction here in New York state, but the [Department of
Environmental Conservation] made reintroduction efforts to bring them back
because they are an integral part of our ecosystem,” he said.
DiLeonardo
says anyone interested should consider plant-based turkey ideas for the
holiday.
Humane
Long Island will be distributing 500 vegan meals in Huntington at Community Solidarity's Huntington Food Share on Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the
intersection of Fairground Avenue & E. 6th Street.