Join Animal Liberation, Sydney Animal Save and Animal Rights Activism Sydney for a vigil to bear witness to turkeys who will be killed in preparation for the Christmas period.
From 9:30 pm on December 18, 2024, we will bear witness to animals who will be killed at a South-West Sydney turkey slaughterhouse. This single slaughterhouse kills approximately 27,000 turkeys every single week. Please email kara@animal-lib.org.au
We will have three trucks stop during the vigil allowing us to bear witness to the animals. Each truck can carry up to 800 sentient individuals. Approximately 90% of turkeys raised in Australia are farmed in intensive factory farms, meaning their trip to the slaughterhouse will be the only time they experience fresh air. Being transported at night will mean that they never will have the chance to experience sunlight.
Why bear witness?
Bearing witness to animals on their way to slaughter allows us to pay our respects to them, to capture their final moments and give them a moment of kindness, which they may have never experienced.
Part of a global movement.
As part of the Worldwide Save Movement Network, we will be adhering to the principles of peace and respect for all living beings, and truth in our advocacy. Further details can be found in the Memorandum of Understanding (http://thesavemovement.org/start-a-save-group/mou/) and the Save Movement Code of Conduct (http://thesavemovement.org/code-of-conduct/).
About turkeys.
Turkeys are inquisitive creatures and have a wide range of feelings - joy, fear, love, loyalty, pain. Australia produces about 5 million turkeys each year and sales are at their highest in December. It is estimated 75% of turkeys farmed in Australia are slaughtered for Christmas day meals. This number is growing.
Grown in filthy, windowless sheds, they are crammed in approximately 14,000 others, and will never see the light of day. They are unable to display normal behaviours such as spreading their wings, perching and dust bathing. Electric wire runs along the feeders to prevent turkeys from perching on them.
The stress caused by these farming conditions leads to neurotic behaviours such as feather pecking and cannibalism. This is managed by "debeaking" using a hot blade to burn off the sharp tips of their beaks.
Turkeys have been selectively bred and genetically modified to favour rapid growth.
They are slaughtered at just 10-12 weeks old. A drastically shortened life as they can live for 10+ years.
For more information, visit al.org.au/turkey-farming
This is a police approved event - please ensure to adhere to instructions by the designated safety marshals on the night.
Help us share their stories.