Thelma & Beauty, a lovestory :)
by TinaVolpe
Taking care of animals has been the biggest joy of my life, and a return to my childhood of having farm animals as friends. I started an animal sanctuary here in Parks, Arizona and began rescuing animals – only to be temporarily distracted from having a full fledged sanctuary, but presently happy with the mini-sanctuary that I wake to every AM – I can’t help but want to share some of the amazing acts I witness on a daily basis by these wonderful beings.
This farm is home to 3 lambs, 10 ducks, 2 turkeys, 11 chickens, 5 peacocks, a single male red golden pheasant, 2 African gray parrots, and 2 Labradors. Every animal has a name and a unique personality. The turkeys, Thelma and Louise are as different as day and night. Thelma is loving, caring and attentive to humans, and Louise is aloof and not as trusting (for no reason I can fathom…they were raised in the house, picked up, hand fed and lived in a playpen as babies).
A few days ago Beauty, the Rhode Island Red I’ve raised since a chick, hurt her leg and would not step on it, but jumped around on one leg.Every morning when I let all of them out of their coop to roam freely – she struggles getting to the feeding area and most times I carry her. This morning, she stopped midstream and stood there for several minutes, holding her foot up. Thelma the turkey decided that Beauty shouldn’t be alone and stood right next to her, eventually laying down next to her, in what seemed like an effort (in my human mind) to communicate to Beauty, it was ok to lie down – she was there with her to protect her and be her friend.
