The tradition of pardoning a turkey by the President of the United States has been a long-standing and ongoing tradition. This Thanksgiving tradition is when a turkey is 'pardoned' by the President and let go.
Rhode Island turkey farmer Horace Vose began sending well-fed turkeys to the White House in 1873, continuing the tradition every year. Then it only stopped when he died in December 1913, bringing an end to the 'annual Thanksgiving Gift' from Rhode Island.
