It’s been a long year of hard sells, but as it ends, the often-controversial types at animal rights group Peta are persuading us not to buy something: turkey, of course.

They’ve taken a pretty conventional tack: a two-minute online animation, starring a cute baby turkey, who’s bounced out of a butcher’s van on the way to the abattoir. Toby, as he’s named, ends up rescued by a family, with whom he’s soon enjoying adorable japes.

Perhaps because it’s Peta, one half-expects something terrible to happen – especially as Christmas looms. Indeed, we’re teased with a slice of something meaty, but (spoiler alert!), it turns out to be an alternative offering from the thankfully vegan family, and Toby is safe.

It’s hard to imagine this converting any dyed-in-the-wool carnivores, but any kids attracted by the Pixar-esque visuals might raise some tricky questions at this year’s Christmas dinner table.

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