Squash, pumpkin pie and cranberries: these turkeys enjoy a Thanksgiving feast at this sanctuary

(CNN) — When most Americans think of turkeys, what likely comes to mind this time of year is a holiday centerpiece — a garnished bird on a platter, surrounded by all the trimmings.

But at Farm Sanctuary, an organization that rescues animals from the food system, co-founder Gene Baur gives his birds a seat at the Thanksgiving table, instead of on it.

Each year, at both of his two sprawling farms in upstate New York and Los Angeles County, California, Baur’s turkeys gather round a meal that replicates a typical Thanksgiving feast replete with pumpkin pie, squash, cranberries and kale salad. The celebration is part of his Adopt a Turkey initiative, which he started at Farm Sanctuary in 1986.

“The turkeys are the guests of honor,” Baur said.

In addition to the meal, the Adopt a Turkey program places rescued turkeys in homes as companions or offers people the chance to sponsor a turkey’s care at the sanctuaries. Baur says he has saved more than a thousand turkeys over the last nearly 40 years, giving them a chance to live eight to 10 years – far beyond the typical six months when farmed to be processed for food.

But Baur’s birds are the lucky ones. Commercial turkeys can often live in severe crowding and confinement, he said, and are genetically modified for larger breast meat. The rescued industry turkeys at his sanctuaries often struggle to walk, Baur said.

The sanctuary receives turkeys from factory farm workers who rescue them, anonymous drop-offs, animal cruelty cases, law enforcement and from individual farmers who initially purchase the turkeys and then grow attached.

One of Baur’s most memorable rescues came in the late 1990s when his organization saved about 100 live turkeys used as promotional giveaways at a car dealership in California. Baur estimates the organization has saved over 10,000 animals, including chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, goats and ducks.

For Baur, the journey into animal advocacy began in the mid-1980s, when he started looking into conditions at farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. His personal research revealed animal cruelty, which led him to go vegan in 1985, and within a year, he co-founded Farm Sanctuary. In the early days, Baur and other volunteers sold veggie hot dogs at Grateful Dead concerts to fund rescue efforts. Now, he has a full-time staff of 100.

For Baur, these birds are friends, not food.

“They follow you around, they’ll jump on your lap, very similar to a puppy,” Baur said.

Daily care of the turkeys includes providing meals and quality time, with music and entertainment, and consistent physical affection, said Brooke Marshall, senior manager of the wellness department at Farm Sanctuary’s Los Angeles County location. They’re also seen by a veterinarian if they get sick.

Marshall says the turkeys she cares for crave attention and they each have a unique personality. “They are a lot smarter than people give them credit for.”

Watching rescued turkeys become more comfortable is what Marshall calls “one of the most poignant experiences” of her 13 years there.

“You get to watch a turkey learn how to be a turkey,” Marshall said. “Here, they’re treated as individuals rather than just a number.”

Turkeys are intelligent, social and emotional creatures, Baur said. “They’re fellow earthlings that we share this planet with,” he added. “And how we treat others has impacts on ourselves.”

This year at Thanksgiving, Baur, who lives in Arlington, Virginia, plans to celebrate with his partner’s non-vegan family. He’ll bring vegan food to share and stories of the turkeys at his farms.

“A lot of people have never interacted with a turkey, so it’s kind of just like they know it as a centerpiece on their Thanksgiving table,” he said.

Instead of the traditional turkey dinner, he proposes adopting a turkey from Farm Sanctuary and placing the picture at the center of the table.

This year, some of the birds available for sponsorship at Farm Sanctuary are Serena, “The Swiftie,” described as a “snuggly gal but a bold leader of her flock who loves soaking up attention,” and Thelma, “The Tender Heart” and “sweet and sensitive soul.”

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