Graffiti Found at Turkey Farm

By Jennifer Borrasso
12:12 PM EDT, September 24, 2009

Set us free! That's the writing left on a building in Lackawanna County.

The graffiti was found on a turkey barn at Pallmans Farm near Clarks Summit. The graffiti was spotted Thursday morning.

The owners believe the vandalism happened overnight. Now police are trying to figure out who left the message.

The message in red spray paint wasn't hard to miss at the building housing turkeys at Pallman Farms near Clarks Summit.

South Abington Township police arrived to investigate and took pictures of the crime.

"I'm a little disgusted yeah. It's vandalism, damaged done," said Brian Pallman.

The Pallmans said someone driving down the Morgan Highway spotted the graffiti and called them.

Police don't know who is responsible but underneath the message was "PETA," which stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an animal-rights group.

"We had situations with PETA here before. They've dressed up as a turkey when people were coming. They were down at the intersection but these birds are raised in the most humane conditions," said Rich Pallman.

The brothers said the birds could have suffered bruises and damaged wings.

"They have done damage to these birds because they get spooked at night they are up on the roof climbing around making noise," explained Brian Pallman.

The graffiti is gone now but the Pallmans want the person or persons who did this to know what would happen if the birds were released.

"They would die. They would starve to death in the wild," said Rich Pallman. "These are domestic turkeys they are bred and raised for production."

The Pallmans said they will prosecute if the person or persons responsible for the graffiti.

Late Thursday afternoon PETA released a statement saying, "We didn't do it but we think the sentiment is exactly right and since the turkeys can only plead with their eyes, some kind soul seems to have helped them make their case."