Jake the Turkey Crowned Top Rescued Fowl in Thanksgiving Competition
For Immediate Release:
November 17, 2011
Contact:
Shakira Croce 202-483-7382
Oak Ridge, N.C. -- Jake the turkey was near death when he was rescued from a roadside attraction and brought to Oak Ridge resident Tony Cooler. Jake was unable to move or eat when he arrived—but thanks to the TLC of Cooler and his local animal rescue group, he soon recovered. Now, the gentle Jake is a beloved member of Cooler's family and even helps them take care of their two hens. And now that Jake's inspiring rescue story has netted him top honors in PETA's first-ever Turkey of the Year contest for rescued birds, more love is coming his way! Jake will be featured on PETA.org, and Cooler will receive a new PETA T-shirt that will let him show off his love of turkeys.
"Thanksgiving is murder on turkeys, but compassionate rescuers like Tony Cooler give lucky birds like Jake something to be thankful for," says PETA Vice President Daphna Nachminovitch. "Rescued turkeys have been given a second chance at a life free from suffering on crowded factory farms—and that's the real prize."
More than 250 million turkeys are killed in the U.S. every year—including more than 40 million for Thanksgiving dinners alone. In nature, turkeys are protective and loving parents as well as spirited explorers who can climb trees and run as fast as 25 miles per hour. But most turkeys slated to be killed for food are crammed into filthy warehouses, where disease, smothering, and heart attacks are common. Turkeys are drugged and bred to grow such unnaturally large upper bodies that their legs often become crippled under the weight.
The two runners-up in PETA's contest, Tomas and Dale, live in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, respectively.
For more information, please visit PETA.org.