According to figures from Statbel, more than 718,000 turkeys were slaughtered in Belgium in 2022. At the slaughterhouse in Lendelede, 16,000 to 18,000 turkeys are slaughtered every week. Activists will await the delivery trucks with cameras. “We want to be able to give these animals a face. Through our photos, videos and livestreams we guarantee that the story of their all-too-short existence full of suffering is not lost.”
“Animal Rights asks the slaughterhouse to give a turkey a chance to live as a Christmas gesture,” it said. The animal would then be transferred to a sanctuary, a place where animals receive appropriate medical care in a safe and natural environment. The animal rights organization further calls on people to opt for plant-based alternatives at Christmas and to leave the Christmas turkey off the table.