At least one North Dakota turkey can breathe a sigh of relief this Thanksgiving.

"Tom Turkey" got an official pardon from Gov. John Hoeven during a ceremony in the state Capitol on Tuesday.

"Now if he goes across state lines," Hoeven said, "the pardon is only good in North Dakota."

"Tom" is 6 months old and weighs about 50 pounds, said Dave Muehler of the North Dakota Turkey Federation.

Wyatt Wittenburg, 10, presented representatives from the Ruth Meiers Hospitality House and the Abused Adult Resource Center with turkeys - the edible type - during the ceremony.

The turkey federation will donate 10 turkeys to both Bismarck-area homeless shelters.