"At The Gentle Barn, an animal rescue organization in Tennessee that offers animal-based therapy, she can brush a friendly cow or give scratches and kisses to fluffy white sheep. This time, she cradled a blind turkey in her arms, and after just a few minutes, Smudge, the brown-feathered bird, closed her eyes and dozed in Gullotta's arms. "Oh, my goodness, you're so snuggly," Gullotta softly whispered."
""The world has started to recognize that dogs, cats, horses have a therapeutic value to them," Laks said. "So at The Gentle Barn, we think, 'Why not turkeys?'" Laks said the idea to include turkeys in therapy sessions with people came to her years ago when a particularly chatty bird was following her around the farm while she was doing chores."
At The Gentle Barn in Tennessee, rescued animals provide animal-based therapy to visitors seeking comfort and calm. The farm cares for about 60 animals rescued from abuse or poor conditions, many requiring special treatments such as acupuncture or custom wheelchairs. Turkeys at the farm show affectionate behavior and are included in therapy sessions after staff observed their desire for human contact. Staff rehabilitate and shelter animals, then partner them with people who have experienced trauma to facilitate healing and human-animal connection. Animals available for interactions include cows, sheep, goats and turkeys offering one-on-one attention.
Read at Fortune
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