THE BORE
General => The Superdeep Borehole => Topic started by: ManaByte on November 26, 2009, 03:19:40 PM
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http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/2009/11/24/group-protests-turkeys-at-disneyland/25851/
Disney officials may call them the “Happiest Turkeys on Earth.”
But one animal-rights group contends that the nationally pardoned turkeys are anything but that at Disneyland.
Farm Sanctuary, a farm-animal-protection group, sent Monday a petition to the White House, asking President Barack Obama to send the National Thanksgiving Turkeys to a shelter instead of Disneyland.
(To see a slide show of past pardons, click here.)
Following a presidential tradition since 1947, Obama will be presented Wednesday with turkeys to pardon so they won’t become Thanksgiving dinner. And since 2005, the pardoned turkeys have lived out their days at Disney parks — all but one year at Disneyland. One year, the turkeys went to Walt Disney World in Florida. They are called the “Happiest Turkeys on Earth.”
But Farm Sanctuary believes the turkeys would have better lives at a shelter that the group runs.
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About 10,000 people signed an online petition, asking that Obama reconsider his decision based on the Disney turkeys’ short lifespans, said Delcianna Winders, Farm Sanctuary’s acting director of education and advocacy.
Normally, turkeys raised for eating only live about 18 weeks. At Disneyland, most pardoned turkeys have lived for more than a year, said Suzi Brown, a Disneyland spokeswoman. One of last year’s turkeys — Pecan — continues to reside at Disneyland, where visitors can see the turkey at Big Thunder Ranch.
But Winders said the sanctuary’s turkeys often live four to five years. One is more than 10 years old. The group has raised about 1,000 rescued turkeys in about 23 years.
“The main reason we don’t think it’s a good place is the track record,” Winders said.
Disney officials maintain that they take good care of the turkeys.
“At the Disneyland Resort, we have a highly trained staff of animal experts to provide the best care possible to all of our animals, including the pardoned turkeys,” Brown said. (Check back later in the week for a behind-the-scenes story about Circle D Corral, where Disneyland’s animals are kept.)
A White House spokesman, Adam Abrams, had no immediate comment about the petition Monday afternoon. But the pardoning ceremony was still scheduled for Wednesday.
The sanctuary has submitted a petition before but got no response, Winders said.
After the Wednesday morning ceremony, the turkeys — Courage and Carolina — are set to board the first-class cabin of a United Airlines flight, renamed Turkey 1 for the occasion. The turkeys are set to arrive at Los Angeles International Airport that night and will be transported to Disneyland, said John McClintock, a Disneyland spokesman.
On Thursday, a turkey will be the guest of honor in a special “Give A Day, Get A Disney Day” Thanksgiving parade set for 10 a.m. at Disneyland, McClintock said. The turkey will ride in a customized, Plexiglas enclosure in a float along with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and volunteers.
I counter-protest! Those turkeys should go to hungry families on Thanksgiving!
mmmm...Turkey....
(http://www.surfnetkids.com/images/thanksgiving-turkey.jpg)
(http://vanelsas.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/turkey-dinner.jpg)
(http://bressfamily.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/15/thanksgivingturkey.jpg)
(http://www.esquire.com/cm/esquire/images/thanksgiving-turkey-1108-lg-44698850.jpg)
(http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/pajoyner/RoastTurkey.jpg)