Do you know about??

The presidential pardon of a turkey each Thanksgiving became an annual tradition when George H.W. Bush offered a certain bird a reprieve, “Let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy - he’s presented a presidential pardon as of right now.” Though it has been a yearly practice since 1989, there were lucky birds before this administration. John Kennedy, Ronald Regan, and First Ladies Nixon and Carter had also extended the life of a fortunate fowl. According to the George Bush White House Archives, the first instance of a turkey pardon came from Lincoln when his son Tad asked him to spare the life of a pet tom named Jack. The archives also state that the National Turkey Federation raises a turkey specifically for this event and that particular animal is given special care and attention throughout its life. Once pardoned, turkeys retire to the Frying Pan Park’s Kidwell Farm in Virginia, to live out the remainder of their lives in a petting zoo.