Public Pressure Saves Gerald, the Rose Garden Turkey, from Gov’t Killing!

In response to public pressure to relocate Gerald the turkey from the Rose Garden to a safe habitat in the Oakland Hills, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) has agreed to this humane proposal, instead of capturing and “euthanizing” (cruelly killing) Gerald on Monday, June 22nd, as was planned.

Conflicts arose this spring between Gerald, a wild turkey living in the Morcom Rose Garden in Oakland, CA, and visitors to the park. The spring mating season, in which parent birds incubate, hatch, and aggressively protect their chicks, plus many more park visitors this year than usual, caused Gerald to act dangerously toward people, causing the CDFW to intervene.

Luckily, park visitors and neighbors did not want Gerald to be killed. Efforts to save his life included a petition to Protect the Life of Gerald the Rose Garden Turkey in Oakland, CA.

These efforts paid off. According to the CDFW, “The goal is to relocate it [Gerald] to a suitable habitat nearby.”

United Poultry Concerns is grateful to everyone who signed the petition, created by Molly Flanagan, on Gerald’s behalf. As of 10:00 AM today EDT, the petition showed 6,768 signatures!

Here’s the ABC News story, published June 19th, about the decision to forego lethal force in favor of saving Gerald’s life: Community rallies to save Oakland turkey.

Hopefully, there will be no snags in the relocation of Gerald to a safe habitat.