A mistaken act sparks uproar over ‘Sandwich,’ Northampton’s wild turkey

NORTHAMPTON — A Huntington woman’s life took a chaotic turn in the last week after she decided to bring home “Sandwich the Turkey,” the loner bird who got a name for himself after a year of hanging out around Cooley Dickinson Hospital.

When she saw Sandwich on her drive home on Feb. 2, the woman had no idea it was a wild animal, assuming it was lost and domesticated. Much less did she know she was taking home a Northampton celebrity.

“I harbored a celebrity turkey with a cult following. I’m so sorry,” she said in an interview Friday, explaining that she was concerned for the turkey’s safety, and drivers’ safety, since she saw him walking in the road close to traffic.

Fast forward to last Friday, she now has three State Police officers stationed outside her home after receiving several threats both sent to her personal number and on social media. Her daughter took off school Friday because she was “afraid” to go to school.

The woman originally provided the Gazette with her name and the street where she lives and where she brought Sandwich. However, she requested her name be omitted in this story, and she has also deleted her social media following the widespread backlash.

She said the bird “appeared domestic.” When she went to the nearby gas station where Sandwich often hangs out, she was told nobody owns it.

“He acts half-domesticated, half-wild. I don’t think he can make up his mind,” she said.

Environmental police have told her to leave Sandwich be and not return him to Northampton.

Dawn Ubelaker of Northampton Animal Control declined to comment on the relocation of Sandwich, saying that Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal to trap and relocate, or move, any live wild animal from one location to another. Even licensed problem animal control agents are restricted from relocating animals.

Those who do relocate wildlife may be subject to fines ranging from $40 to $50, or imprisonment of less than 30 days.

She has been sharing videos with people to update them on the turkey’s condition, and she described him as “happy” in his new environment.

At his new Huntington home, he now walks alongside a flock of 10 females.

“I’m feeding it everyday. I call it and it looks at me and he flies,” she said.

Her daughter had taken a picture of the turkey in the car the day Sandwich was picked up, sharing the image with friends on Snapchat. That is originally how word spread, and her daughter has been blamed for taking the turkey.

But her mom clarified, saying, “It is totally on me. My daughter had nothing to do with it. I own it. I will never move wildlife,” she said.

Katrina Beaumier was the first person to post on Facebook asking where Sandwich is. Since her Thursday morning post, her inbox has been flooded with “a thousand” messages. Beaumier said the Huntington woman was instantly apologetic once word spread, and explained the woman had no idea that Sandwich was a celebrity.

Beaumier said she often saw the bird while bringing her kids to school every day, and she was shocked to have gone days without seeing him, which prompted her post. But after posting she said it was hard to “defuse” the comments she was getting and has since been posting updates of the bird on her page.

“I know people are mad,” she said. “It’s an unfortunate situation.”

On Facebook last Friday, Beaumier asked people to “please don’t send her threatening messages or be cruel to her daughter, who is completely innocent in the situation. They both feel horrible about the whole situation.”

Sandwich has been hanging out around Cooley Dickinson since April of 2025. His presence has had a mixed reaction within the community, with some patients at the hospital and people in the area who saw the bird as a comforting presence. Others, however, have vented frustration given that the bird follows people and has been leaving its droppings in the area.

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