Do you want to know what the first moments of freedom look like? Check out this amazing video of 8 lucky turkeys, who were rescued from a factory farm, seeing their new home at Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary for the first time.

Isn't that just gorgeous! And to think these birds started their lives in factory farms. I hate to say it, but these sorts of happy endings don't happen for most birds. Just check out how most turkeys in Australia have to live.. (these photos from Animal Liberation ACT were from a recent investigation at a turkey factory farm):

Click here to see more pictures. Photos thanks to BigBirdsBigCruelty.org

Like chickens, turkeys in factory farms are crammed into sheds by the thousands and have to live in their own waste for all of their short and miserable lives. Can you believe that the birds served up on Christmas tables across the country this weekend were likely to be less than 17 weeks old when they were killed?! (to put that in perspective, turkeys would naturally live for about 10 years)

I read this amazing story a little while ago about, Lydia, a turkey at Farm Sanctuary in the US, who was nicknamed the 'hugging turkey'. If she saw you sit down, she'd race over and before your bum had even hit the ground she'd be in your lap with her neck stretched over your shoulder for a cuddle.

Surely there's something a little wrong about eating someone who just wants a hug?!

That's why I'll be cooking up this delish tofurkey for Chrissy! My mouth's watering just thinking about the cruelty-free feast we've got planned :D

What cruelty-free recipes have got planned for Christmas?

Paul McCartney said "If slaughterhouses had glass walls everyone would be a vegetarian." Check out this recent footage from a Victorian slaugtherhouse and let me know if you agree:

I cringed every time one of those pigs was stabbed in the eye with the stunner... and when that desperate pig was beaten to death with a sledgehammer -- shocking! So shocking in fact that when Animals Australia gave this footage to the authorities, the slaughterhouse was shut down within 24hrs.

But what really haunted me was seeing the fear in the pigs' eyes, huddled together in the corner of their pen; and seeing them squeal in terror as their companions were killed in front of them. Because while that stabbing with the stunner may be illegal (and was part of the reason the slaugtherhouse was shut down), there are no laws that can protect animals from the fear those pigs suffered in their final moments.

The investigator who took this footage, 'Kate', also described something she couldn't capture on video: another pig who escaped and ran into the scalding tank (a pit of boiling hot water, used to remove hair from the dead pigs). What a terrible way to go :(

This is just one slaughterhouse -- one that also killed free-range animals and was regularly inspected by authorities. It certainly makes you wonder what might be going on behind closed doors in other slaughterhouses!

So what do you think? Is Paul McCartney right when he says "If slaugtherhouses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian"?

Mark this date in your diary, because you won't want to miss this! Everyone is talking about the story that will air on Monday night (30th May) on Four Corners! The program will feature never-before seen footage from Animals Australia's recent investigation into the treatment of Aussie cattle exported live to Indonesia.

Check the countdown now -- www.BanLiveExport.com!

Every year, millions of animals born into Australian care are exported live, to be killed in countries where there are no laws to protect their welfare.

Over the past seven years, Animals Australia has carried out investigations into the treatment of animals exported live to the Middle East. Footage from past investigations has repeatedly shown the live export industry is happy to export animals to countries regardless of how badly they will be treated. When exposed on national TV, evidence provided by Animals Australia led to a ban on live sheep exports to Egypt, and created massive public opposition to the cruel trade.

This coming Monday night, ABC1's Four Corners will air exclusive footage of exported Australian cattle filmed by Animals Australia investigators in Indonesia.

So tune in and tell all your friends and family to watch this groundbreaking story!
Four Corners airs at 8:30PM, Monday 30th May on ABC1.

UPDATE! If you missed the 7.30 report, watch it online here!

Animals Australia's latest investigation into live animal exports to the Middle East is going to be front and centre on The 7.30 Report tonight (ABC1 at …7.30pm duh!)

Tune in to see undeniable proof that this trade is cruel, with first hand accounts from our lead investigator, Lyn White.

This is an important opportunity to influence public and government opinion. Footage aired from Animals Australia's 5th investigation led to such big public outrage that the trade of sheep to Egypt was banned! So we need as many people as possible to be watching tonight! Please make sure you encourage everyone you know to tune in.

For starters, please update your Facebook/Twitter status to let everyone know they should check it out. Then make sure to tell all your family and friends about it.

After the program tonight, we need people to make their voice heard. So please speak up for the animal by clicking here to email the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture to ask that they do the right thing and ban the live animal export trade for good! (And while you're at it, you could always post a link to that action on Facebook and Twitter too!)

Did you catch Animals Australia's piggery investigation on 60 Minutes on Sunday? If not don't worry, you can still see the segment on the 60 Minutes website.

I'm so thrilled! Just think, more than 1 million Aussies saw the truth about Australia's pig industry. Many will have never thought about where pork, bacon and ham come from before. And now they know that animal cruelty laws fail to protect animals raised for food, and that these profit driven animal industries aren't looking out for the wellbeing of their animals – they're looking out for their wallets.

After the show, our office was flooded with phone calls and emails from shocked viewers who had no idea of the routine cruelty of the pork industry. Many of these callers have sworn never to eat pigs again after seeing behind the closed doors of factory farms!

And now's your chance to see the behind the scenes footage of Animals Australia's investigators inside the piggery:

The 60 Minutes exposé no doubt had a huge impact! And coupled with Animals Australia's TV ad campaign, Australian pigs have never had a louder voice speaking out against their cruel treatment.

Many people will be considering where their food comes from for the very first time. So it's prime time for us to speak up! Ask friends and family if they saw the show, and what they thought of it. Get talking about the issue! You never know, with your help a few more people might opt for a cruelty-free Christmas this year!