Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara have called on people to adopt turkeys instead of feasting on them this Thanksgiving.
Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara urge people to adopt turkeys
Ahead of the US holiday on Thursday (25.11.21), the Hollywood actors - who are parents to 13-month-old son River - visited Farm Sanctuary in Acton, California, to meet some turkeys who won't be getting eaten.
And in a joint statement issued to People, the pair - who are engaged - urged their fellow Americans to save turkeys and go meat-free this festive season, and even consider making the birds part of their families.
Not only do vegans Joaquin, 47, and Rooney, 36, want to encourage people to save turkeys, but they pointed out that not consuming them will help the planet, too.
They said: “Turkeys are emotional, intelligent, and social animals. It’s chilling that more than 68 million turkeys will be brutally slaughtered and eaten during the holiday months alone.
“By adopting a turkey through Farm Sanctuary’s Adopt a Turkey Project, you are not only supporting the rescue of animals caught in the brutal factory farming industry, but you are also protesting animal agriculture’s immoral treatment of workers, and its dominating role in accelerating the climate crisis.
“In this season of giving, please join us in adopting a turkey, and leaving them off your plates.”
Their plea comes after the 'Joker' star recently insisted he won't force his son to be vegan.
Joaquin has abstained from animal products in his diet since he was three years old but refuses to "indoctrinate" his son to follow the diet.
He said: “Certainly I would hope that [he is vegan], but I’m not going to impose my belief on my child. I don’t think that’s right."
However, the movie star wants to educate the tot on meat products as he does not want to pretend that people don't eat farm animals from children's books.
The Oscar-winner continued: “I’m going to educate him about the reality. I’m not going to indoctrinate him with the idea that McDonald’s have a Happy Meal because there’s nothing f****** happy about that meal. And I’m not going to tell him that it’s OK to read books about all the wonderful little farm animals, and they say ‘oink oink oink’ and ‘moo moo moo,’ and not tell him that that’s what a hamburger is. I’m not going to perpetuate the lie, but I’m also not going to force him to be vegan. I’ll support him. That’s my plan.”
Joaquin has long been an outspoken advocate for animal rights and used his speech whilst collecting the Best Actor Award for 'Joker' at the 2020 Oscars to advocate for veganism.
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