Heartbreaking footage of workers at a Butterball slaughterhouse abusing turkeys has resurfaced online, reigniting public outrage just before Thanksgiving.
Captured during a 2006 PETA investigation, the video shows employees sexually violating, beating, and torturing turkeys, with birds being restrained as they endure horrifying mistreatment, DailyMail reports.
PETA released the footage as part of its ongoing campaign to expose cruelty in the meat industry. The organization has condemned the company, urging consumers to reconsider their Thanksgiving traditions and opt for plant-based alternatives.
Butterball has responded by emphasizing that the incidents occurred nearly 20 years ago, predating their current American Humane certification and revamped welfare practices. The company claims it now adheres to higher standards, including annual third-party audits, and strongly rejects the outdated portrayal in the video.
Despite these assurances, the footage has triggered calls for boycotts and widespread criticism of the industry. Advocacy groups have seized the moment to highlight ongoing issues in factory farming, urging greater accountability and legislative action to enforce humane standards.
The controversy also coincides with PETA’s broader Thanksgiving campaign, including graphic billboard displays and protests, as the group continues to push for an end to animal agriculture practices it calls “barbaric.”
As the video circulates widely on social media, the debate over ethical food choices and corporate responsibility grows more heated, with many questioning whether such abuses are truly a thing of the past.
#Clique, this is just nasty!
