Turkey at Washtenaw County animal sanctuary gets special wheelchair

Gracie Lou has trouble walking

MANCHESTER, Mich. – Gracie Lou can get up and walk a bit sometimes, but the 5-year-old turkey usually struggles to move.

UPDATE: Gracie Lou gets her wheelchair

"She will trip. She will fall. But most of the time, she is immobile," said Shara Jones, animal care manager at SASHA.

Genetically modified turkeys that don't end up as food grow too big for their legs, leading to problems with walking.

Gracie Lou is at the SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary in Manchester. Workers at the farm wanted to help her move, so they came up with the idea for a special wheelchair.

"They live to be about 10, so she still has some fight in her. She wants to live. She's happy. She just needs some help getting around," Jones sad.

Donations poured in from people who wanted to help Gracie Lou, and her chair is on its way.

SASHA Farm is always looking for volunteers. To help, click here.


About the Authors:

Jason is Local 4’s utility infielder. In addition to anchoring the morning newscast, he often reports on a variety of stories from the tragic, like the shootings at Michigan State, to the off-beat, like great gas station food.