Butterball facing Thanksgiving turkey boycott as disgusting sex abuse allegations resurface

Gut-wrenching footage of Butterball slaughterhouse workers torturing and sexually abusing turkeys has sparked outrage just before Thanksgiving as news of the horrific acts resurfaced on social media. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched an undercover investigation into Butterball's Ozark, Arkansas location between April and July 0f 2006. 

An undisclosed investigator revealed the alleged atrocities he witnessed - including sexual assault against the birds - as workers 'shackled and slaughtered' more than 50,000 turkeys each day, according to PETA. 

In the shockingly graphic video, the investigator claimed he saw a Butterball employee shoving his finger up a turkey's cloaca, or vagina, for 'fun.'

Another worker allegedly 'humped' a turkey while it was restrained.  

The investigator recalled another haunting instance, when a 'worker was taunting another worker by holding a bird by the legs and jerking her back and forth.

'The second guy just grabbed the bird and punched her.'

Footage showed workers aggressively handling multiple turkeys - throwing, striking and hanging them to death. 

'Nothing humane had ever happened in a slaughterhouse,' Amber Canavan, the Vegan Campaign Project Manager for PETA, told DailyMail.com. 

As written in the investigator's witness log: 'One worker took a live bird and stomped on her head, crushing her skull until her head exploded. He then laughed and wiped the blood from his leg. He also threw birds against the concrete and punched others.'

Over his 40-day tenure at the gruesome facility, the witness workers would slam birds into metal bars and violently break their backs and legs.  

The investigator reflected upon birds' eyeballs popping out, exposed spines and ripped off limbs in the chilling video.

'The workers at this plant were clearly not trained in animal welfare - some workers even bragged about their abuse,' he asserted. 

Just days before Thanksgiving, the unflattering footage  has caused social media users to wince in disgust - with some calling for a boycott.

'This breaks my heart,' someone commented on a clip of the video posted on TikTok.

Another user chimed in: 'Just bought a Butterball turkey today & definitely returning it tomorrow first thing in the morning.'

One commenter wondered: 'Why are people so horrible? I own turkeys and chickens and they are so sweet and loving.'

In another TikTok post, the user declared 'Y'all better not eat no Butterball turkey this year' and called the company 'deranged.'

'That made me physically ill,' a viewer reacted to the gruesome video. 

Another added: 'My parents bought butterball turkeys for Thanksgiving. I will not be able to eat it.'

Another video showed a woman 'on the way to return this Butterball Turkey after SA (sexual assault) allegations.' 

Someone reacted: 'I swear I'm going to buy one to bury it and cry. It’s so sad what those birds have gone through.' 

'The response we are seeing from people online is exactly what any animal advocate wants to see right before Thanksgiving,' Canavan added. 'We're just seeing dozens and dozens of people swearing off turkey this year.'

She emphasized the idea that it is 'easier than ever' to buy vegan alternatives that do not require 'animals to go through the tortures of the slaughterhouse.' 

Leading up to the holiday, PETA has been sharing social media content urging viewers to skip out on the poultry staple this year. 

'It's never too late to go out there and grab that vegan roast,' Canavan said. 'Spare that turkey from the horrors of the slaughterhouse.' 

In response to the online backlash the company is receiving, a Butterball representative wrote to DailyMail.com: 

'We are aware of a video from nearly 20 years ago, which is being re-shared across social media. This video is not current and in no way reflects our animal welfare policies.

'Animal care and well-being is central to who we are as a company, and we are committed to the ethical and responsible care of our flocks. That means maintaining the health and well-being of our turkeys is an ongoing effort.'

The spokesperson added that Butterball has yearly audits conducted by a third party to make sure facilities are complying with the '200+ science-based standards of best practice for care of turkeys.'

She added: 'Butterball was the first and remains the only turkey company that is American Humane certified. We are proud to be 1 of every 3 turkeys on the table this Thanksgiving.'

This month alone, Butterball has sold about 15 million turkeys across the country, Fleet Owner reported.  

PETA claims that its exposé from nearly two decades ago is not a one-off.

'PETA has conducted even more recent investigations that are still showing that abuse is rampant,' Canavan said.  

She pointed to another PETA investigation from 2021 into Plainville Farms, which 'also documented workers simulating sex acts on turkeys.'

As a result of the investigation, workers at the Pennsylvania facility faced several felonies and 141 charges.

No charges against Butterball came from the 2006 investigation, but charges were brought against employees years later for a separate situation.

In 2011, a North Carolina Butterball plant was raided after workers were caught abusing turkeys. 

In an investigation similar to PETA's, nonprofit Mercy for Animals went undercover and witnessed several instances of animal cruelty. 

Multiple workers were hit with charges related to the reported abuse. They were caught on video kicking and stomping on the helpless birds.