LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- This Thanksgiving, many family gatherings will include a turkey as the centerpiece of their holiday meal.
But a local nonprofit vegan farm sanctuary working to save animals from slaughter, abuse, neglect and abandonment is putting a twist on the traditional meal.
According to the Tribe Animal Sanctuary in Louisville, approximately 46 million turkeys are killed each year for the holiday.
In 2019, the Tribe developed a unique way for families to celebrate the holiday in a different way that allows turkeys to stay alive.
It is called “ThanksLiving," and it takes place the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
"We just kind of thought, take our tables, put a tablecloth on it, we'll put the turkeys on there and we'll help teach people how wonderful these animals are and just how fun it is to watch them and it's just, it's caught on," Becki Streif, co-founder of Tribe Animal Sanctuary, said.
The turkey is placed at the center of a table and honored as a guest rather than the main course, dining on grapes, oranges, apples and lettuce.
"It's weird because in this country we have this disconnect that we love our dogs and cats, but then we turn around and eat the fourth-smartest animal on the planet, which is the pig," Streif said.
With a donation to the Tribe Animal Sanctuary, guests receive a vegan meal and are able to interact with the turkeys and other animals on the farm.
“We encourage people to come out and make connections with these animals,” Streif said. "I don't ever think that somebody's gonna come here and become vegan overnight, but what I do hope happens is that this piques their interest, that it plants a seed, maybe the next time they go to the grocery if they just buy one vegan item, you know, if they just buy oat milk instead of dairy milk, or have meatless Monday, celebrating holidays without taking a life."
To learn more about the Tribe Sanctuary or to make a donation, click here.
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