A front-page article in The New York Times, Dec. 27, 2013, touted the popularity of oversized turkey legs at Disneyland, citing turkey industry claims that turkeys bred for meat have plenty of exercise in their factory-farm prisons. UPC responded in a letter published January 2, 2014.

Re “Turkey Legs Conquer Land of Mouse Ears”:

Why are these Disney theme park turkey legs so big? Turkeys have been artificially bred to grow so large that their legs, big as they are, cannot support their body weight. The disability of turkeys bred for the meat industry is well documented in the scientific poultry literature. So much for these poor birds having “plenty of room to exercise their legs.”

Even if they did, they would be in too much pain and much too heavy to exercise their legs. In nature, turkeys are excellent runners whose favorite way of getting around is walking. Their domesticated cousins are sedentary cripples. What’s Disney-worthy about that?

KAREN DAVIS
President, United Poultry Concerns
Machipongo, Va.