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Survivors
of Airline Cargo Disaster Find Refuge Survivors of Airline Cargo Disaster Find Refuge
One week after this initial disaster, Northwest Airlines again called the PHS/SPCA to pick up more birds who were found dead and dying in a subsequent shipment that was apparently meant to replace the original shipment. Zacky Farms, the recipient of the birds from both shipments, left behind boxes containing an estimated 3,240 dead and dying birds at the San Francisco airport. By the time PHS/SPCA investigators arrived on the scene, Northwest Airlines cargo workers had already thrown 26 of the 28 boxes into a trash compactor. Of the two remaining boxes, investigators found 22 of 62 chicks still alive. Sadly, however, all but one died. The bird-shipping industry has a poor track record of ensuring animal welfare. It ships millions of birds across the country via postal mail and as cargo aboard airlines, and countless numbers perish from heat extremes, overcrowding and deprivation of food and water. Last year Farm Sanctuary rescued over 100 baby chicks who were found dying during a cross-country shipment in the postal mail.
These 11 tiny survivors are
the lucky ones. They've escaped death at the hands of a shipping industry
that regards them as basic cargo, and they're free from a life forced
into unnatural breeding practices.
Animal rescuers contacted
the sellers through the ad they had put in the paper. Then they visited
the men in person. At the sellers’ home, they saw that many of the
turkeys were suffering from poor health and neglect. Begging the men to
have compassion for the turkeys, the rescuers tried to persuade the sellers
to surrender the surviving birds. Finally, the men agreed,
and the 80 remaining turkeys were driven to safety. After receiving a
call from the rescuers, Farm Sanctuary staff members picked up the birds
and brought them to the Emergency Rescue & Rehabilitation Center at
our New York Shelter. Here the chicks’ long recovery began. All of the turkeys
arrived underweight and suffering from feather loss. Several also displayed
classic signs of malnourishment, such as enlarged joints and curled toes,
and were treated immediately with vitamins and electrolytes. Caregivers
continue to closely monitor the condition of each bird. Unfortunately,
several will likely require surgery to repair disabilities in their legs
and feet. Despite this, the turkey chicks are happy and active. Thanks to the love, affection, and medical care provided by Farm Sanctuary, all of the chicks are expected to fully recover. They will now be valued and cherished for the rest of their lives, reminded with daily hugs and kisses that they are worth infinitely more than money could ever buy.
The
Great American Turkey Rescue The salvage yard purchased 320 turkeys planning
to use them as a holiday promotion--customers who came to buy an auto
part could take a turn chasing the frightened turkeys around the yards.
If they caught one, they could take the bird home for 25 cents. The owner
of the salvage yards thought "it would be cute," but outraged citizens--including
many Farm Sanctuary members--thought it was anything but "cute" and contacted
our California shelter to help.
We arrived at the salvage yards at the crack of dawn, with over a dozen dedicated volunteers,a hired animal transport truck and driver...and an Associated Press reporter, five television networks and National Public Radio. As cameras flashed, volunteers gently carried the turkeys to the transport truck, one by one. Within a half hour, 96 turkeys were on their way to freedom...and millions of people were encouraged to save turkeys, rather than eat turkeys, when news stories of this dramatic rescue spread across the country. A sanctuary intern rode with the driver the 10 hour trip to Farm Sanctuary, while the turkeys rested comfortably in thick layers of bedding straw in the trailer. All of the turkeys arrived safe and sound. After a good night's rest--for turkeys and rescue workers alike-- the turkeys awoke to a new beginning...and a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and of course, stuffed squash. |
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On
August 3, 2006 Farm Sanctuary welcomed 11 baby turkeys to its Orland,
CA shelter. They spent their first day exploring the surroundings of their
new home with wide eyes, picking at the straw bales, and scratching at
the floor. Their curiosity was in full force when they first arrived,
as they attempted to hop on top of the bales, only to realize that they
were still too young and small for these athletic maneuvers. They ate
and drank heartily and spent their first night huddled together cozily
in our hospital. By their curious and active demeanors, one would never
assume the harrowing events that led them to our Orland Shelter. 
These turkeys
were among over 11,500 birds transported from Detroit to San Francisco
via Northwest Airlines. Upon arrival at San Francisco International Airport
(SFO) on July 13, Northwest employees discovered that over 9,000 of the
birds had perished in transit from Detroit to SFO. According to the Peninsula
Humane Society & SPCA (PHS/SPCA), which was the first to take in some
of the surviving birds, said they "believe the massive loss was due
to overcrowding. The turkeys couldn't breathe, became overheated, dehydrated
and died." Approximately 1,900 surviving birds were sent to their
final destination to become "breeder" birds, whose offspring
would be sold for food.
Sadly,
if these birds had not suffered the way they did at the hands of careless
cargo workers, they would surely have been sent to work as "breeders"
within an industry that only regards them as a means to produce more turkeys
for cold-cuts and holiday meals. To meet consumer demand for breast meat,
commercial turkeys have been bred to have abnormally large breasts. As
a result, the birds cannot mount and reproduce naturally, and the industry
now relies on artificial insemination as the sole means of reproduction.
The 1,900 turkeys that survived only to be shipped to their destination,
Zacky Farms, will endure a constant cycle of forced "milking"
of the toms and artificial insemination of the hens, until their bodies
give out and they are sent to slaughter.
According
to a Binghamton, New York man who was actively trying to sell baby poultry
on the Internet, the life of a turkey chick can be valued at $7. The man
and a few of his friends ordered 200 turkey eggs through the mail and
hatched them at home, hoping to make a quick profit online. They made
deals to sell the turkeys to several buyers who wanted to raise the animals
for their Thanksgiving dinners this fall. But when the buyers backed out,
the young men were suddenly at risk of losing a great deal of money. They
put an ad in their local newspaper, but no one responded. Hoping to cut
their losses, they were about to auction off the healthier birds and let
the weaker ones die when a local animal rescue group heard of the turkeys’
plight.
