Thanksgiving might be a wonderful celebration for humans, but for the poor old turkey it's no fun at all. Robbed of life, plucked, stuffed, trussed and roasted, the golden carcass becomes a succulent sight for hungry human eyes, and fodder for the carving knife.

Not so for legions of animal lovers however, who are said to have introduced the custom of what has become known as 'The Presidential Pardon'. President Harry Truman was the first to observe the tradition in 1947.

While most of its feathered kin have long since succumbed to the executioner's touch, one fine specimen always undergoes a traditional, last-minute reprieve at no less a place than the White House. There, in a ceremony combining solemnity with a dash of humour, the glorious gobbler, hopefully on good behaviour, is paraded before the incumbent head of state, there to be granted a stay of execution for the rest of its natural life.

"By virtue of this pardon, (name of turkey) is on her way, not to the dinner table but to Kidwell Farm in Herndon, Virginia," the President intones. "There she'll live out her days as safe and comfortable as she can be."

Kindwell Farm is a petting zoo at Frying Pan, in Herndon, Virginia.

Some of the witty remarks uttered by recent US Presidents at the pardon ceremony include:

• "We can all be grateful that there will be one less turkey in Washington." — President Clinton, 1997.

• "I see the turkey standing there. He looks a little nervous, doesn't he? He probably thinks he's going to have a press conference." — President Bush, 2002.

• "In a moment you can come up and welcome our guest of honour, Stars, the turkey. He looks pretty friendly. He actually looks well rested. You'd be well rested, too, if you had your own room in Hotel Washington here in Washington, DC." — President Bush, 2003.