At The Gentle Barn, turkeys are for snuggling, not stuffing at Thanksgiving

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CHRISTIANA, Tenn. (AP) — At the start of a busy holiday week filled with hours of travel, Jordan Gullotta went to a place that has given her comfort and a sense of peace. 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.

This time of year, turkeys might be getting all the attention at the dining room table, but The Gentle Barn founder Ellie Laks said the birds can make great cuddle buddies.

“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.

When she sat down at eye level with the big, feathered bird and encouraged the hen to come into her arms, she found that was what the turkey wanted.

The 60 animals at the Tennessee farm have all been rescued from poor living conditions or abuse, and several have injuries or are at an age that require special care. One of the turkeys gets acupuncture for painful hips and trouble walking. One of the goats lost its back hooves to hypothermia and moves around in a custom wheelchair.

“We rehabilitate them, give them sanctuary, and then when they’re ready, we partner with them to heal people with the same stories of trauma and connect people to the love and magic of animals,” Laks said.

Laks said turkeys are often misunderstood as dumb and unaffectionate when they are actually extremely intelligent and can give people comfort and one-on-one attention.

Gullotta, who is studying animal science at Middle Tennessee State University nearby, said she had been to the Tennessee farm before to meet the cows, which are her favorite animal there, but a turkey cuddling session wasn't on her list of things to try at first.

But she realized she could learn more about the turkeys and their temperaments if she got a little closer.

“The turkeys just have their own way of loving, and it’s different than the rest of them,” Gullotta said.

The turkey therapy programs go on all year long, but The Gentle Barn, which also has a location in California, is also offering a holiday session on Thanksgiving where people can feed and pet turkeys as an alternative way to celebrate. People can also sponsor one of the rescued turkeys to help cover the costs of caring for them.