| The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20500
Fax: 202-456-2461
Email: president@Whitehouse.gov
PETA Finds “Pardoned” Turkeys Living in
Substandard Conditions
On February 1, PETA representatives visited Frying Pan Park, a
substandard petting zoo in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington
DC, where the turkeys “pardoned” by the President of
the United States each year are deposited to live out the rest of
their lives. PETA found three turkeys – Katie, Zach, and one
turkey still alive from 2001-- living in “a tiny barren shed”
with “nothing to eat or peck at. They were listless and their
plumage was disheveled and discolored. There was no straw or other
bedding material or any way for the birds to keep warm. It was cold,
and they were shivering.”
PETA also found chickens and pigs without food, water, or bedding
to protect themselves from the cold Washington winter. There was
nothing for any of these sensitive animals to do but stand around
and shiver.
UPC Found Similar Conditions at Frying Pan Park in 1997
On September 24, 1997, UPC representatives Karen Davis and Olive
Nash visited Frying Pan Park in response to visitors’ complaints.
(See PoultryPress, Volume 8, No. 1 (Winter-Spring 1998 at www.UPC-online.org).
We saw debeaked, huddled, poorly feathered chickens covered with
lice and mites. (The two birds we removed were diagnosed by UPC's
veterinarian Dr. Norman Walter with upper respiratory infections
along with external parasite infestation.)
Regarding the two “pardoned” turkeys who were there
at the time, UPC President Karen Davis wrote to the then Director
of the Fairfax County Park Authority, James A. Heberlein, on October
1, 1997: “I visited the two male turkeys in a remote part
of the park. I was told they are ‘White House’ turkeys.
These birds appeared to be in severe arthritic, hip-joint-degeneration
pain. They need medical attention and integration into the life
of the park. They had no fresh vegetables. There were in an atmosphere
of desertion. Their housing was dirty, their yard was mud, and they
were clearly suffering.”
Frying Pan Park’s “Clean Up” in 1997
In response to UPC’s letter to Mr. Heberlein describing the
substandard conditions and suggesting improvements, Mr. Heberlein
wrote back on October 13, 1997: “The park manager will make
some changes immediately and will consider implementing your recommendations
as appropriate within the goals of this historic site and its educational
program. We will provide you with a status report on the condition
of our poultry program by December 15, 1997.”
On December 18, 1997, UPC received a letter from Fairfax County
Park Authority Acting Director Paul Baldino, who wrote: “We
have discontinued the de-beaking procedure, eliminated the parasites,
and made a formal request to a local grocery store to provide the
recommended vegetables and fruits. ‘White House’ Turkeys:
The two 1996 turkeys ‘welcomed’ the two 1997 turkeys
on November 26, 1997. We have increased our cleaning frequency,
added more sawdust and bedding to the turkey house, and provided
the fresh vegetables [you] suggested. Many of our visitors have
commented favorably to [sic] these improvements and we appreciate
your interest in bringing these deficiencies to our attention.”
On January 29, 1998, Fairfax County Park Authority Site Operations
Manager Gene Biglin invited UPC President Karen Davis for a tour
of Frying Pan Park to observe the improvements. All the birds had
fresh greens, the chickens had tree limbs to perch on, and the housing
was clean. The birds had fresh food and water bowls. Apparently
things have deteriorated since then.
Note: Except for the “White House” turkeys, Frying
Pan Park sells its animals to livestock auctions, local farmers,
or any buyer, and gives eggs to schools for hatching projects, takes
back surviving chicks, keeps some hens, sells the roosters, then
gets rid of the hens, etc. Frying Pan Park is not a sanctuary. It’s
designed as a “working farm” replica of pre-World War
Two farming operations. Pigs are born on the premises and sold for
slaughter.
Besides Writing to President Bush, What Else Can I Do?
Please write polite letters to Frying Pan Park and the Fairfax
County Park Authority, calling upon them to improve conditions at
Frying Pan Park. Birds should have clean fresh straw at all times
in the winter. They should be given fresh leafy greens several times
a week all year round. They should have fresh food and water at
all times. Birds eat and drink before going to roost at night, and
at sunrise, so it’s important that they have ample fresh food
and water in the late afternoon and in the early morning as well
as throughout the day. Droppings should be cleaned up every day
and there should be no excretory ammonia odor in the poultry houses
or yards. Birds should be periodically dusted for lice and mites.
Michael Kane, Director
Fairfax County Park Authority
12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 927
Fairfax, VA 22035
Phone: 703-324-8728
Fax: 703-324-3989
Email: michael.kane@fairfaxcounty.gov
If you are in the Washington Metropolitan Area, visit Frying Pan
Park and observe the conditions. It’s free and open the public.
Express any concerns that you have to:
Todd Brown, Park Manager
Frying Pan Park
2709 West Ox Road
Herndon, VA 20171
Phone: 703-437-9101
Fax: 703-437-1418
Email: todd.brown@co.fairfax.va.us
For a history of the White House Turkey Pardoning Ceremony, see
Chapter 7 of More Than a Meal: The Turkey in History, Myth, Ritual,
and Reality by Karen Davis, PhD. Order from UPC, PO Box 150, Machipongo,
VA 23405. $23.50
United Poultry Concerns is a nonprofit organization that promotes
the compassionate and respectful treatment of domestic fowl. For
more information visit www.UPC-online.org.
United Poultry Concerns, Inc.
PO Box 150
Machipongo, VA 23405-0150
757-678-7875
FAX: 757-678-5070
www.upc-online.org |
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