Therapy Chickens? Backyard Hen Brings Comfort To Many In Philly Area
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- We've heard about therapy dogs and cats. But what about therapy chickens? Having animals around is known to be good for us and some people in the Philadelphia area are capitalizing on that in a very unique way.
Rosebud or Rosy is no ordinary chicken. She's a therapy chicken. She wears diapers, frequently gets a pedicure and brings comfort to people in places like schools, nursing homes and rehab centers.
"Everybody just loves her. We visit with schools and ecology groups and basically you name it," said Rosebud's owner, Gwenne Baile, of Haddon Township, New Jersey. "We have even done a couple of times one on one with people who are healing from motor vehicle accidents."
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Baile recalls a touching moment when a young man with down syndrome asked to sing to Rosebud.
"I put her down on the floor and she went right up to him, she had already bonded with this young man," Baile explained. "And he started to sing some more, and he was bringing tears to everybody's eyes because he was singing, 'you will always be my friend. You're my buddy.'"
Baile is a community activist who attempts to help get laws modified in towns restricting backyard hens. She is the chair of Haddon Township's Backyard Chicken Advisory board.
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Maureen Breen is with Philadelphia Backyard Chickens. Chickens have been banned in Philadelphia since 2004 -- but she teaches chicken keeping, so she is permitted to have them because it's for educational purposes. She says the chickens provide plenty of benefits.
"They are productive in the garden. My girls are back there right now turning over the soil getting ready for spring," Breed said. "When summer is here they'll eat the ticks and mosquitoes and bugs that are around. They produce fabulous eggs."
Breen is actively trying to change the ordinance and get the backyard chicken ban lifted in Philadelphia so everyone can enjoy them.
