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Are Turkeys Being Recalled After PETA's Butterball Turkey Video? TikTok's Reaction To The Shocking 'Nutterball' Video Explained
PETA is no stranger to pioneering some eyebrow-raising campaigns in its quest for animal advocacy, and the organization is not above rehashing decades-old reports if it gets some people to lay off the turkey this Thanksgiving.
Earlier this month, the animal rights group shared an investigative report into a Butterball turkey slaughterhouse in Ozark, Arkansas. Butterball is one of the United States' most popular turkey suppliers, which is why reports of animal cruelty by their workers came as a shock to many internet users coming across the viral video in recent weeks.
The shocking video has sparked widespread protests on TikTok, with many people pointing to Butterball turkeys they bought this week and asking for refunds. The only catch seems to be that PETA's report is nearly two decades old.
Here's all you need to know about why the video is resurfacing and sparking heated reactions, as well as before you consider getting a second helping this Turkey Day.
What Is PETA's Butterball Turkey Video?
In November 2006, PETA released an undercover video exposing alleged animal cruelty at a Butterball turkey slaughterhouse in Ozark, Arkansas. The footage, captured between April and July 2006, featured a shadowy figure recounting instances of workers mistreating turkeys, including disturbing acts of alleged abuse.
This video resurfaced in November 2024 when PETA shared it on many of its official social media platforms. However, the group failed to mention how old the report is, causing many internet users to react in panic about what their Thanksgiving turkeys must have endured.
How Did Internet Users React To PETA's Butterball Turkey Video?
Several TikTokers posted videos reacting to PETA's allegations of turkey abuse in Butterball slaughterhouses recently, seemingly unaware or uncaring about how old this report was.
For instance, on November 25th, TikToker @brownsugacakez posted a video holding a Butterball turkey, saying, "The company Butterball, the people killing the turkeys for us, were 'SA-ing' the turkeys?" The video gathered over 2.5 million views and 99,000 likes in a day, adding to the virality of the video's spread.
Meanwhile, TikToker @closetwitch13 chose to find humor in the situation, posting a video of a very juicy Turkey, writing, "Must have been a butterball," alongside the hashtag "#nutterball."
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7441243556108373290
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7441181314168147246
However, not everyone agreed with PETA's characterization of turkey slaughtering practices at Butterball. TikToker @daddy_trump210_aff posted a video attempting to defend the company given their years of working in one such facility, albeit to mixed results.
The user wrote, "I am 100 percent sure you will not find shizzzzzzzzz in your turkey, the amount of water that runs through the production line while the turkeys are being processed, ain't no way," a statement not everyone found reassuring.
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7441209670183701790
For the full history of PETA's Butterball Turkey Video, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
