Butterball Turkey workers have been facing allegations involving s*xually abusing the birds at one of the company's plants. A PETA investigator, who went undercover and claimed to have witnessed the abuse, has brought forth the accusations.
Disclaimer: This article has references to s*xual abuse, violence, and exploitation of animals. Such content may upset the readers; Discretion is advised.
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In a 49-second Instagram clip uploaded on PETA's official channel, a man, seemingly the investigator, shares his account of the abuse he witnessed at the hands of these workers. He can be seen sitting in dim lighting, with his appearance concealed. Interspaced with his interview are clips of the turkeys, shackled in dingy conditions.
Butterball Turkey workers accused of treating the birds inhumanely and "bragging about the abuse"
In the video, the PETA investigator can be heard narrating the following:
"One guy humped a shackled turkey one day, and another time another worker was putting his fingers in a turkey’s cloaca, which is basically her v*gina, while the line was stopped. Some workers even bragged about their abuse."
The video then cuts to footage from inside the plant, where men can be seen and heard with the birds. One man boldly exclaims that he "kicked the f*** out of the m*********** [bird]," while the PETA official notes in horror that the bird's "eyeball popped out." In one clip, a man can be seen roughing up a turkey while in another, one can be seen sitting on the bird.
"When people go to the grocery store and they see Butterball or other turkeys all wrapped up in plastic, they just don't know what happens to the birds before they end up in the meat case. I mean, how could they? These dark plants are kept away from main roads and certainly not shown on TV."
He went on, concluding the video:
"I went to this Butterball House of Horrors to show people what the company never will. If even one person sees this video and stops eating birds, it’ll be worth it."
Accusations against Butterball Turkey break out on X, users react with disbelief and disgust
In the wake of the allegations, the masses have taken to the internet to rally against Butterball Turkey. Several have pointed out that the evidence is damning, while others have asserted that said claims are plain disgusting. Here's what one user said:
"@butterball What in Gods name are you doing?!?! Where’s PETA at?!!! You need closed down immediately!!! Watch this before you eat your Butterball turkey. I’m horrified!!!!!!!!!"
Others online echoed the sentiments:
"I've always gotten the butterball turkey, for the past few years that's our to go to but yesterday I decided to go with another brand and thank god for that because after what I heard the men who handle the butter ball turkey and what they do to them, it's disgusting and inhumane," one user shared.
"That butterball turkey story literally made me sick to my stomach. We have got to start putting some of these men down like they absolute dogs they are," another suggested.
"The men are s*xually assaulting the turkeys at Butterball and it was caught on video. I think we need a hard reset after this year just burn it all down and start over," a third person tweeted.
Several more weighed in:
"I've never been more thankful I didn't buy butterball this year," one user noted.
"Someone please tell me this is a lie. Butterball is the only freaking turkey we ever buy," someone else pleaded.
"So now we need a new label like tuna has …. THIS TURKEY WAS NOT abused…. Omg," yet another expressed shock.
While the masses online were visibly appalled, several called PETA's integrity into question. They claimed that having PETA as the source of information was not enough grounds to believe the claims.
Notably, this isn't the first time the agency has brought forth such allegations against Butterball Turkey. Back in 2017, PETA published an article accusing workers at the Ozark, Arkansas slaughterhouse of similar behavior. Yet again, one of the agency's eyewitnesses came forward and shared a similar harrowing tale involving violence and s*xual abuse against the birds.
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