PETA’s First-Ever Christmas Ad Imagines A Better Ending For Turkeys
Claiming that it will “open your heart in a way no holiday advert ever has,” PETA’s first-ever Christmas advertisement, created by animation studio Dream Farm, wants holidaymakers to reconsider their turkey dinners this festive season.
Starring Toby the Turkey, the spot starts with the bird being thrown off a truck bound for the abattoir to rescue his life, when it meets a family who takes him in and makes him a part of the gang.
Throughout the short film, viewers are left wondering if Toby will end up on, instead of at, the family’s Christmas dinner table. Though, thankfully, the scene concludes with the fowl being seated around the table with everyone else.
The animal rights advocacy group points out that, unlike Toby, nine to 11 million turkeys are slaughtered each year for Christmas dinners in the UK alone, and that these birds “will never know what it’s like to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, a satisfying meal, or comfort.”
Hoping to send a message that festivities can still include all the classics and favorites without animal cruelty, PETA is calling on the public to forgo eating animals this festive season.
“Animals want to be with their families, too. Live and let live by leaving birds and other animals off your plate,” the organization concludes.
