It is estimated that around 10 to 20 million turkeys are slaughtered in the UK every year just for Christmas –  in addition millions of other animals suffer and die including pigs, chickens, geese and ducks during this so called season of peace and goodwill. Odd way to celebrate the birth of a man whom many believe to be a man of peace by the massacre of millions of sentient creatures who suffer as we do, animals whose lives are as important to them as yours is to you.

Here are the facts:

Turkeys

90% are kept in windowless sheds with as many as 25,000 other birds. Wild turkeys live for around 10 years, but those destined to be eaten are slaughtered when they’re between 9 and 24 weeks old. It’s not just turkeys though – millions of pigs, geese and ducks also suffer in a time of supposed peace and goodwill. According to those organisations promoting turkey meat, Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a traditional roast turkey! But how ‘traditional’ is it really?

Please continue reading:
https://www.vegsoc.org/truecost#.VI0z1jGsWUQ

Worldwide it is really not possible to even estimate how many turkeys are massacred at Christmas time. As already mentioned here in the the UK it is around 10 to 15  million, in the USA about 20 million with around 40 million on Thanks Giving, in  Australia between 3 to 5 million

In the USA 20 million are slaughtered for Christmas and 40 million for thanks giving.

Ben Franklin called turkeys true American originals.” He had tremendous respect for their resourcefulness, agility, and beauty. Turkeys are intelligent animals who enjoy having their feathers stroked and who like listening to music, with which they will often loudly sing along. In nature, turkeys can fly 55 miles an hour, run 18 miles an hour, and live up to 10 years.

But the story is very different for turkeys on factory farms: They will be killed when they are only 5 or 6 months old and, during their short lives, will be denied even the simplest pleasures, such as running, building nests, and raising their young.

Like chickens, the 300 million turkeys raised and killed for their flesh every year in the United States have no federal legal protection.More than 45 million turkeys are killed each year at Thanksgiving alone, and more than 22 million die at Christmas.

Read more:
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/turkeys/#ixzz3LrmolLLv

Cruel Farming of Turkey’s

Here is how turkeys live their short wretched miserable lives

Stuffed! – Viva! investigation of UK turkey farms 

Warning distressing images

Undercover footage of the conditions in which turkeys are reared on six farms – including two of the UK’s biggest producers. The video shows overcrowded sheds, dead and dying birds, animals with gaping wounds, birds with one half of their beak removed and cannibalism. The companies involved are Bernard Matthews (the biggest turkey producer in Europe), Kerry Foods (owners of Home Pride, Mattessons Walls and Greens), and farms in Braintree, Sevenoaks, Chichester and Devon

Meat Your Meat: Turkeys

Warning very upsetting for people who care about animals.

 

Below is a longer version of the above video ( includes information about factory farming of other animals)

 

Every year in the United States, almost 300 million turkeys are killed for their flesh. Virtually all spend their entire lives on factory farms and have no federal legal protection.

Turkeys raised on factory farms are hatched in large incubators and never see their mothers or feel the warmth of a nest. When they are only a few weeks old, they are moved into filthy, windowless sheds with thousands of other turkeys, where they will spend the rest of their lives

Read more:
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/factory-farming/turkeys/turkey-industry/#ixzz3Ls3Gqx66

Don’t take comfort by organic or free range turkeys

The reality of a free range farm

Something To Be Thankful For
A short film from Animal Place about the rescue of a single turkey from a free-range” farm, days before Thanksgiving. Though this film shows a positive outcome for one lucky Turkey it also shows the shocking conditions in which so called free range turkeys live.

 

If you think that an organic option is more humane, have a look at what happens to organic turkeys in this next video. In all cases slaughter always involves suffering, pain and fear and is never humane, there is nothing humane or ethical in bringing about the end of the life of a sentient being who like you and I  wants to live his days as nature intended. Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman Seneca once wrote:

But for the sake of some little mouthful of meat, we deprive a soul of the sun and light,
and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into the world to enjoy.

Warning distressing images of turkeys being slaugtered

Xmas Special the Short life of organic Turkys   

In Great Britain about 10 million of turkeys are killed for Christmas. This film shows breeding and slaughter of free range turkeys in one of organic farms in Britain.

Comparing to traditional and factory farming, organic way of breeding animals seems to be a healthier and more ethical solution.

But even in strict organic conditions these sensitive and majestic birds suffer from unnatural conditions, decrease of living space -what leads to diseases, stress and aggressive behaviour.  And after all, they have a short life on a farm, are raised only to be killed and later their meat is sold.

If you think that an organic option is more humane, have a look at turkey slaughter in this video. In all cases slaughter always involves suffering, pain and fear.

This year’s Christmas can be truly compassionate. Surprise yourself and your family with an amazing choice of vegan food and give turkey the gift of life.

 

No indeed your conscience can’t really be salved can it?  At the end of their time these sentient beings are cruelly slaughtered.

Question the ethics of killing millions of living beings to celebrate a festival about which few really understand. Most people do so from habit, tradition and thoughtlessness. I know I was once of this mindset.

Those of the Christian religion please question the incongruity of this festive blood bath to celebrate the birth of a person whom you consider to be a man of peace.

What can I do?

Go Vegan is the immediate answer though not the only one as things cannot be allowed to continue the way they are in cruel factory farms and inhumane slaughter houses and the end to such cruelty needs be made law now. Nonetheless going vegan or vegetarian , though vegetarians  need to consider the ethics of of consuming milk and eggs, is a good start in bringing an end to the vile cruelty of factory farming and slaughter

The best way to end the suffering of animals is to go vegan – or at least start in that direction. We can help you do just that. Please also share this page with your friends and family so that they know how animals suffer and how they can help end that suffering.

See more from VIVA about going vegan
http://www.viva.org.uk/resources/video-library/turkey-investigation-footage

Lots of advice to help you go vegan:
http://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/go-veggie-christmas

Go straight to the Christmas recipes:
http://veganrecipeclub.org.uk/christmas

Top Five Tips for a Vegan Christmas Feast
Read more: http://www.peta.org/living/food/top-five-tips-vegan-christmas-feast/#ixzz3LwrV5jkz

Vegan society all year round recipes
http://www.vegansociety.com/resources/recipes

Make this year a compassionate and cruelty free Christmas Surprise yourself and your family with an amazing choice of vegan food and give turkey the gift of life

How to Have a Vegan Christmas Feast With All the Trimmings
http://blog.peta.org.uk/2014/12/vegan-christmas-feast-trimmings/

OVERVIEW OF CHRISTMAS WITHOUT CRUELTY CAMPAIGN
http://www.animalaid.org.uk/h/n/CAMPAIGNS/living/ALL/563/

Quick and easy cook alternatives

If it all seems a bit of an effort think of the Turkeys, isn’t it worth it. There are though quick and easy ready prepared alternatives for those less inclined to cooking:

Here in the UK sold at Holland and Barrett and other health food stores

Celebration Roast and other prepackaged easy to cook and prepare meals
http://www.vbites.eu/food/products/111-celebration-roast-445g

In the USA

Tofurky® Holiday Products:
http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/holiday_products.html

More from PETA:
PETA’s Favorite Vegan Substitutes
http://www.peta.org/living/food/favorite-products/

Here is a recipe for tofu turkey, though this does require more preparation and cooking:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tofu-turkey-i/

If you don’t live in the UK or USA most countries now are likely to have stores that stock alternatives just enter a search such as:
Vegan and Vegetarian Turkey Alternatives or vegan substitutes

More information

End Factory farming:
http://factoryfarming.org.uk/whatis.html

Never doubt that Turkeys are sentient beings:

Sentience in Farm Animals: Turkeys

A turkey is not just for Christmas, a turkey is a thinking, feeling being with a life of his or her own. Below you will read compelling facts and anecdotes that demonstrate that a turkey is not an automaton driven by instinct, but like all animals he is a conscious being aware of and able to interact with his surroundings: sentient.

Read More:
http://www.think-differently-about-sheep.com/sentience%20in%20farm%20animals%20poultry%20turkeys.htm

Turkey Facts:

A random selection of interesting or unusual facts about Turkeys
http://www.think-differently-about-sheep.com/Turkey_Facts.htm

Big-Birds-Big-Cruelty-Turkeys-in-Australia
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Birds-Big-Cruelty-Turkeys-in-Australia/153541898049663

Credit Photo

File:Male north american turkey supersaturated.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Male_north_american_turkey_supersaturated.jpg