Over the years, we’ve had the unique opportunity to witness our animal friends developing strong bonds and relationships with each other. The friendships formed here at the sanctuary are unique to each animal and often aid in their recovery from abuse and neglect.

We hope their stories of friendship will inspire you and show that our animal friends can and do recover from past trauma and abuse with the help of each other.

As a place of healing, our greatest hope is that the animals can live life on their terms with no expectations or pressures from us. Here are their stories.

November is here, and we’re showing some love to our turkey friends! Every holiday season, 76 million turkeys are killed. We honor those turkeys and turkeys everywhere by advocating for them every November.

I never realized how affectionate and family-oriented turkeys were until our first turkeys arrived at the sanctuary. They are beautiful and majestic animals that are deserving of our compassion.

We have two turkey flocks here at Heartwood Haven. One is for our heritage breed turkeys: Johnny, Teddy, Moira, Frankie, and Pebbles. Frankie arrived first along with her parents Johnny and Moira.

Teddy joined the flock later after being seized from a cruelty case for neglect. He was covered in mites and suffering from malnutrition. He had never lived with turkeys before, and when he met the flock, he was ecstatic. They quickly accepted him, and to this day, he and Johnny enjoy strutting around together side by side. It’s difficult to capture photos of them separately because they are always together.

Pebbles joined the flock this summer after she was found as a stray wandering around in Gig Harbor. She was a baby when she met Johnny, Moira, Frankie, and Teddy, and they quickly took her under their wings and taught her all about being a turkey.

The photo below shows them all together. As soon as you enter their habitat, the whole family comes over to greet you. Because of you, they are living their best lives here at the sanctuary.

Our second flock is for the broad-breasted turkeys, Ronnie, Jocelyn, and Scarlett. Broad-breasted turkeys are genetically selected to gain weight quickly.

In factory farms, turkeys, just like them, are crammed into tight quarters. They have the last knuckles of all toes cut off and beaks cut because they hurt each other from the high stress. Here at the sanctuary, they have room to roam with lots of enrichment. They are on closely monitored diets to ensure their health and well-being.

Scarlett was attacked and almost killed by a predator at her previous home. She came to Heartwood Haven because she was traumatized and not safe at her last home.

Ronnie and Jocelyn soon joined her here at the sanctuary. Ronnie and Jocelyn were rescued together from an agricultural program that teaches kids how to raise and care for animals. Children don’t know that once the animals reach maturity, they are sent to livestock auctions.

The child that raised Ronnie and Jocelyn couldn’t bear the thought of this and reached out for help. Ronnie, Jocelyn, and Scarlett now have each other and make fast friends even across species with chickens and ducks.

Because of your support and generosity, eight turkeys who were once in harm’s way now live their lives in peace, surrounded by families and love. Through our education and advocacy program, hundreds of people every year meet the turkeys and learn about their plight. Thank you for opening hearts and minds to our turkey friends.

You save a life this holiday season by Sponsoring a Turkey, today!

Your generosity will provide food and nurturing care to the eight survivors who call Heartwood Haven home.

In return, you’ll receive a certificate of sponsorship to use and display all month long so that you can proudly show your support as an animal advocate!

With Compassion,

Hope Hilman
Director of Operations