Turkeys thrown from plane, rooftop arrive at sanctuary for Thanksgiving
— -- Two turkeys that were treated inhumanely just a few weeks ago now have a safe home for the holiday.
At the Turkey Trot in Yellville, Arkansas, held annually in mid-October, several turkeys were thrown from a plane and a rooftop, according to local media reports.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported that "several live turkeys were tossed from an airplane." The article went on to add that "turkeys were released from the Marion County Courthouse" roof as well. For more than 50 years, the turkey drops have occurred during the annual Yellville Turkey Trot festival, according to the Democrat-Gazette. The practice has been met with opposition from animal activist groups.
Neither the Yellville Chamber of Commerce, the organizer of the Turkey Trot event, nor officials from the Marion County Courthouse responded to ABC News' repeated requests for comment.
For two of the turkeys, there will be a happy ending. After a stay at the Farm Sanctuary, in upstate New York, they will now live at a private home in Southport, Connecticut.
"The two turkeys, named John and Ringo, are part of a quartet of birds dubbed the 'Fab Four' who were rescued after being found injured and bleeding on the pavement," Meredith Turner-Smith, a spokesperson for the Farm Sanctuary, told ABC News. "The turkeys were [initially] brought to Farm Sanctuary’s shelter in upstate New York, where they received urgent medical care for their injuries. Two [other] birds, Paul and George, are still healing from their wounds."
According to Turner-Smith, domesticated turkeys can only fly short distances, so many die upon impact and broken wings are common.
