Injured, Abandoned Turkey Found Outside Belmont Park: Humane LI

ELMONT, NY — While families get their turkeys defrosted for a holiday feast, one local advocacy group is looking to protect the wildlife.

Humane Long Island announced they rescued four domestic turkeys, including one approximately five months old that was found abandoned outside Belmont Park in Elmont.

Turkey was discovered at 4 a.m. on Saturday with her beak cut off and her toes mutilated, Humane Long Island's John Di Leonardo said.

The bird was freezing and unable to walk or eat. Since warming up and receiving the necessary vitamins and nutrients, the turkey has resumed walking and eating.

"Surely slated for slaughter this Thanksgiving, it's likely she was abandoned by a live slaughter market after dozens of New York City and Long Island live slaughter markets were recently shut down last week due to an avian flu outbreak," Di Leonardo said.

Once the bird is fully recovered, he said, she'll be taken to a vegan animal sanctuary along with the other three recently rescued turkeys.

On a related note, Humane Long Island is distributing 500 vegan meals on Long Island this week. It takes place on Tuesday evening at the Community Solidarity's Huntington Food Share in Huntington.