EDITOR’S NOTE: The headline of this article previously stated that the chicken was overweight due to GMOs, which is a quote directly from the animal sanctuary. Global News has updated the headline as we cannot confirm the veracity of the statement. We regret the error.
An animal sanctuary in Oklahoma built a makeshift “wheelchair” for one of many hens the group rescued from a defunct factory farm.
The chicken, named Colorado, was rescued by the folks at Oliver and Friends Farm Rescue and Sanctuary in Luther, saving the hens from “a terrible life.”
“But being Cornish hens they are all genetically modified to grow so so fast and so large that their legs cannot support them for long,” the sanctuary noted on social media. “Colorado is the first of our rescues that has recently started displaying the signs that her own body is crushing itself . Her legs can no longer support her.”
READ MORE: Puppy born with upside-down paws gets second chance at normal dog life
The group noted that most Cornish hens are usually slaughtered and on someone’s dinner table by the time they reach Colorado’s age.
Jennie Hays, who works at the sanctuary, told KFOR News that it may seem odd to some, but the sanctuary is determined to give the hen a better life.
“We saved a puppy, and we were heroes,” Hays said. “We save a chicken, and maybe people think that we’re nuts. But, that’s OK.”
The puppy the woman was referring to is Milo, the dog Global News reported on in January, born with backwards paws.
Milo underwent surgery to correct a rare condition that caused the dog’s front paws to face upward instead of its pads and claws downward.
“With both elbows out of joint, Milo was unable to walk. Try as he may, the best he could do was an inefficient and seemingly uncomfortable ‘army crawl,’” Dr. Erik Clary explained at the time. “It is very unusual, but also very debilitating. So when we do see it, something needs to be done.”
Milo is back at the sanctuary following the successful surgery and is continuing the rehab process.
As for the chickens, the sanctuary took in 25 “very sick” birds from the factory, but thousands more need a place to call home.
“There were… I think it was 13,000 chickens that needed to find a place to go,” Hays told the news station.
The woman explained the sanctuary considered euthanizing the hen, but Hays’ husband had a better idea.
“So, ever since she got the wheelchair, her sparkle’s back,” Hays said.”We honestly believe here at Oliver and Friends that every animal deserves the chance to live their best life as pain-free as possible.”
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