Chi Chi & Alana’s Story
Words cannot describe the moment when Lillie, a Brazoria County FFA mom, said YES to Rowdy Girl Sanctuary rescuing Chi Chi and Alana. The video at the bottom of the page vividly captures in real-time how the rescue unfolded. The sanctuary team was deeply grateful to Lillie for pardoning two of the turkeys that would have otherwise been “processed” or “dressed” to be consumed along with the other 20 turkeys raised for one purpose only—to be slaughtered and eaten on Thursday, November 24th, in observance of the annual Thanksgiving tradition.
In Lillie’s own words, here’s what FFA means to her:
“Future Farmers of America” teaches children where their food comes from and all about their farming roots. Some kids don’t know corn is grown in a field—they think it comes out of a can. They learn about agricultural marketing, from showing animals to preparing them for market, selling them, judging them, and even learning about different crops and farming techniques. The kids also learn how to weld, work on machinery, and construct buildings for livestock.
When asked why they chose to raise turkeys instead of other animals, Lillie explained that turkeys are a short-term project (4 months) and require a lot less land. Four months old?!
Thinking about that, the sanctuary founder realized that turkeys are processed and eaten at just four months old—they are still babies. If she had known she was eating a four-month-old baby all those years she ate turkeys, she doesn’t think she could have ever done it.
Finally, when asked if any of her kids ever got emotional before the animals were sent to be slaughtered, Lillie hesitated for a moment and then said, “They are taught that when you show a market animal, they know it is meant for market.”
The concept of “food animals” is deeply ingrained in our culture. If we ever really thought of these animals as anything but food, we couldn’t eat them—it would be like eating our dogs, cats, or any pet we loved and cared for. “Food animals” are not considered to have feelings and emotions—they are raised for one reason only: to be processed and eaten.
Chi Chi and Alana would have become Thanksgiving dinner if not for the combined rescue efforts of Chee-Wei Tay, producer and award-winning composer of De Claffer Films and De Claffer Music, and Alana Tompson of Black Ant Films.
