This Infectious Turkey Escaped From Becoming A Thanksgiving Dinner To Turn Into A Bonafide Instagram Star!

 Traditionally, a Thanksgiving dinner would most definitely include a mouth-watering meal complete with a scrumptious roast turkey, in all its golden glory. Brant Pinvidic is a Californian TV and movie producer that had a change of plan when it came to his Thanksgiving dinner menu. Pinvidic was about to go pick out the turkey for his dinner but ended up learning so much from the birds. In the end, Albert the Turkey went from a potential Thanksgiving dinner plan to become an Instagram star.

A Thanksgiving Turkey

This story starts 2 weeks prior to the Thanksgiving in 2016. Brant Pinvidic’s contractor inquired if he would want a turkey for his Thanksgiving dinner. “My contractor knew a farm where they raise turkeys for slaughter and he asked if I wanted one for Thanksgiving,” Pinvidic said in an interview.

Picking A Turkey

There is a tradition of multiple farms in America to let people come and pick any turkey they would want for their Thanksgiving dinner. A Thanksgiving dinner must include a turkey, right? Pinvidic wanted to go on his own and choose the gobbler he preferred.

The Life of Brant Pinvidic

Pinvidic is a resident of California with his wife and kids. He works as a documentary film and television producer and holds the position of CEO at INvelop Entertainment. This man has produced a lot of hit shows. His shows include Extreme Weight Loss, Kitten Bowl, and Bar Rescue.

Not A Farm Boy

Brian does a lot of pet-adopting in his free time. He has adopted cats, dogs and chickens. Although his house could pass as a small zoo full of rescue animals, it is important to know that neither he nor his wife has grown up in a farm. What was going through his mind when he went to pick his turkey?

Turkey Day

Pinvidic has actually never seen Turkeys alive, in the flesh before. Since he had never encountered a turkey in his life, he did not have any knowledge of how they behaved or looked like in person. This was his first time choosing a turkey for his meal so he was not prepared at all.

Anxious Meeting

Since Brant had never met one, he was now aware of how curious and intelligence the feathery turkeys can be. Pinvidic would soon get to know a lot more about these birds. He had never interacted with a turkey so he was a little nervous and anxious too.

In the Flesh

Brant Pinvidic was definitely not a vegetarian so he had no doubt devoured many turkeys on several Thanksgiving dinners in the past. He did not know what to expect when he made his way to meet the birds. Pinvidic’s views were about to change forever.

Unaware and Unexpected

He reached the farm and was now time for Pinvidic to pick the turkey he wanted. He made a decision to try something that has most likely never happened on a turkey farm. He did not know it at the time but his decision was about to change lives for the better.

Adopt a Thanksgiving Turkey?

Since Pinvidic loved to adopt many pets as we have mentioned before, he suddenly chose to save a lucky turkey that stayed in the slaughterhouse. “I thought that it would be nice to go rescue one of those turkeys and pardon him,” Pinvidic later revealed.

Doing Something Different

Since he had already adopted a few chickens, he made the decision to save the turkey to show his kids that animals need to get saved. “It was a symbolic gesture,” he further explained. But Pinvidic did something else just before he made his exit.

I’ll Take ‘Em Both

Pinvidic had already picked one lucky turkey to bring home. Before he left, he made a decision to adopt another one too. So, in the end, he took a male and female turkey. Since he already had a few birds at home, he did not see the mistake in adding some more.

Albert The Turkey

He then made his way home excitedly and soon placed the two turkeys in a coop. He decided to give them names. He called them Albert and Princess. In the end, Albert the Turkey was about to show Brant and his whole family a very different Thanksgiving dinner experience.

Play Time

So, on that particular Thanksgiving Day, Brant Pinvidic freed both Albert and Princess out of the coop. They then joined the other chickens that were playing around in the yard. Brant wanted the turkey to blend in with the rest of the flock and make friends with the others.

Other Plans

Brant let the two birds roam about in the morning and freed them from their cage. It was clear they were here to stay. Princess soon joined the other chickens. Pinvidic already expected this behavior from the turkey. Albert, however, had other plans on his own.

Right at Home

“We left Albert in the chicken coop for a week before we let him roam the yard with the other chickens (they need to imprint on their new home or they wander off),” revealed Pinvidic when interviews asked about Albert the turkey and how he coped with his new home.

Following Brant

When Albert and Princess were freed from their cage, they both walked around the yard. Albert soon followed Pinvidic inside the house and made himself even more comfortable. Pinvidic was pleasantly surprised by this behavior but what happened next was even more uncalled for.

Show Me Some Love

Brant has had a few animals but he did not know this turkey’s personality yet. It came as a shock to see how friendly Albert was behaving towards him. Pinvidic went down on his knees to take a closer look at Albert who suddenly went into his arms demanding a hug.

Surprise Surprise

“It was a little scary for me because I didn’t know anything about turkeys. But he was so gentle and loving it didn’t take long to fall in love,” Pinvidic spoke as he explained the incident. Yes, Albert the Turkey was an attention loving hug machine that took Brant by surprise.

Part of the Fam

Pinvidic found out in time that the behavior that Albert was showing was not a one-time thing and that he was an affectionate turkey. While Princess loved to join the other chickens, Albert would always choose to spend time with the family inside the house.

The Family Pet

Sine Albert proved to be such a sociable turkey, Pinvidic and Juliana, his wife along with their three kids Kahless, Briana, and Braden soon got accustomed to Albert’s adorable personality. Albert was considered a family pet and had more tricks coming out…

As Loyal As a Dog

Looking at this photo, it would seem strange to see these animals together but for the Pinvidic family, it is just a photo of their lovely pets.  Albert is seen here with the family dogs Dexter and London. They often play together and are nicknamed the three musketeers.

With Open Arms

Considering how friendly and out-there Albert, it was inevitable that he would not only win over the whole family but even their other pets. The dogs were open to welcome the adorable turkey with arms wide open and let him join their dog gang.

The Welcoming Committee

Everyday Brant Pinvidic would come home to find his ever excited welcoming committee that includes his furry friends. The dogs would welcome him with enthusiastic energy, jumping and licking him all over. When Albert joined in, it was a whole new ball game.

Waiting At The Door

Albert would play the whole day outside in the yard but when it was time for Pinvidic to come home from work, he would stand right at the door. “He is at the door waiting,” said Brant when he spoke about Albert’s rituals. Who has ever heard of a turkey waiting for his master?

The Hugger

Albert the Turkey really loves to hug and be hugged. He had a hugging technique that puts all other hugs to shame. He would make his way towards the humans when they bend down, make a leap into their laps and leans his head on their shoulders.

All About Embracing

Albert loves hugging so much that every time he sees a person bending, he would charge for an embrace and cuddle. His habits have definitely made him a beloved pet in the household. On a Christmas party, something drastic happened yet again.

A Turkey Kinda Christmas

It has been one month since Pinvidic saved Albert’s life. The two birds have definitely turned the whole house around when they joined the family. When over 200 or so guests arrived for the family’s Christmas party, Albert was busy mingling with their guests.

A Strange Experience

“He’s right on the carpet where all the kids are sitting with Santa. He just loves people. That’s what he loves more than anything. He just wants to be around somebody,” Pinvidic said when asked about the wonderfully strange Christmas experience.

Attention Seeker

The Pinvidic clan soon found out that turkeys actually love to socialize and interact. Albert loves to get attention and affection from others. “He doesn’t want food, he doesn’t want play, he just wants you to notice him,” Pinvidic admitted in interviews.

“A Complete Showoff”

Brant further claims that Albert the Turkey “believes he is the most interesting thing going on wherever he is,” and even stated that “he’s very pompous. He’s a complete showoff.” They thought that Albert would never top his Christmas party antics, but they were in for a big surprise.

Bird of Honour

Because of his distinctive personality, Albert has snagged the title of “Birds of Honor” when a family friend of the Pinvidic’s held their wedding at the family’s house on March of 2017. They even printed Albert’s name on the actual wedding sheets.

VIP Bird

At the wedding, the affable turkey was actually the VIP guest. Even the bride and groom did not look at the turkey’s attention seeking behavior as an offense. They actually enjoyed seeing him constantly trying to steal the spotlight at their wedding.

The Chicken Dance

Albert not only loved to steal the thunder from the couple at their wedding and try to muster up to every guest present, he ended up appearing in the official wedding photos too. All the guests loved to see how friendly Albert the turkey was and none had a complaint.

 A Part Of 

The Wedding

“During the reception, he was wandering from table to table saying ‘hi’ to everybody. He was on the dance floor and everyone loved it,” Pinvidic said as he spoke about the wedding. Albert has ordered hugs from everyone else ever since Brant first hugged him “Albert is literally the happiest when he is surrounded by people. He LOVES attention and will head right to the crowd,” he stated.

A Year Later

A year had passed since Albert has made his way into the Pinvidic family household. Albert was loud and clear about not wanting to be closed up in the coop anymore. To show the family that he was not into being caged he would follow the family members all day long.

Sitting In The Kitchen

“He will follow us everywhere almost all day. He simply wants attention and to cuddle. He’s very much like our dogs,” Pinvidic even said. Albert has become so accustomed to being around the family that he even sits with them while they sit at the kitchen table for meals.

Albert is Adventurous

There are many things that Albert the turkey is known for. He has proven himself to be a great dancer and wedding guest.  Albert is also an adrenaline junkie and is always ready for new adventures.Just look at Albert and Brant Pinvidic in an ATV bonding.

Preferring Humans

Albert the turkey loves to spend time with humans more than his own kind, this is a fact considering all his antics. He is ready for any type of fun and does no care about the timings during which they happen. What about his other friend Princess then?

Scout and Elizabeth

Princess may be considered to be a normal turkey. However, Albert was sure that she would make the perfect mother for his babies. By April of 2017, these two had given birth to two new turkeys in the world. The family has named them Scout and Elizabeth.

Polar Opposites

Even though Albert has declared that he wants to stay inside the house, Princess has proven herself to be the complete opposite. She does not want to meet with any human and avoids any chance of encountering one. Albert would have a hard time introducing her to his human friends.

Taking after Albert

“The babies are very bonded to me and like to be cuddled, too,” Pinvidic revealed about the baby birds,“I think they will be awesome pets like Albert!” Scout and Elizabeth seem to show that they are taking up after their father and have snuggled up with the family members.

Celeb Turkey

Albert the Turkey soon had his own Instagram account. Brant made this for him in January 2017 to share his best moments with his fans! In just over a year, Albert gained 34,000 followers. Albert had definitely become a superstar turkey and still loves to receive all the attention he can get.

Turkey-Free

Using his social media fame, Albert has managed to raise awareness that turkeys are more than just meals, that they make great pets. The Pinvidics have even decided to set up an animal rescue foundation dedicated to helping rescue animals fund forever homes and are now vegetarians.

Albert & Friends Rescue Foundation

The family has founded the home-run foundation called Albert & Friends Rescue Foundation. Their main aim is to find homes for animals that need to get shelter and affection. They have now learned that turkeys are more than just meals and they plan to inform others of this as well.

A Little Goes a Long Way

Albert & Friends Rescue Foundation associated with St. Bonnie’s Shelter, that rescues dogs, cats, horses, and other animals. “His fans get a lot of joy from his posts and interaction and that makes us very happy. We hope to expose more people to the joy of rescue animals,” Pinvidic proudly said to the interviewers. He never expected that saving Albert would have such an effect.

Practicing What They Preach

Albert the Thanksgiving Turkey has made such an impact on Brant and his family that they have completely stopped consuming turkeys. He speaks about his family and says “we’re just a semi-normal family with a big yard.” Him saving Albert has indeed resulted in a butterfly effect.

Future Plans

Pinvidic’s plans to make a digital children’s book that is all about Albert the Turkey. He hopes to inspire people to save and rescue animals from it! The foundation has manufactured Albert-branded Gear, like a limited-edition Albert T-shirts which includes three custom designs. Albert has approved of these designs.

Fosters

If Pinvidic keeps as many foster animals as he possibly can to help St. Bonnie’s give these at-risk animals from county and city shelters. They currently keep 3 furry cats named Kimmy, Olaf, and Jack Black that can be adopted. The Albert & Friends Foundation has also found homes for 2 dogs name Po and Harley.

Bonded Pairs

The foundation has also found homes for bonded pairs. Bonded pairs are inseparable animals that require getting adopted together to avoid heartbreak. Sky and Lotus are sibling that need to be together and have found a home. The poodle pair Max and Bailey have also managed to find their forever home together.

A Day at the Pool

These days, Albert the turkey still enjoys spending time with people and is still craving attention from people and the Pinvidic family. He has truly proven himself to be a valuable member of the Pinvidic household. To think this all started with the possibility of him becoming a Thanksgiving dinner is unbelievable.