Turkeys and Thanksgiving Day

Why Turkeys And Other Birds Make Great Therapy Animals 

The woman who made headlines after bringing her pet turkey on a plane shares her side of the story.

Most mornings start the same for Jodie Smalley. She wakes up, gets ready for the day, kisses her 25-pound Wild Turkey goodbye, and drives to work. Like any loyal pet owner, it’s not easy for her to leave her animal alone for the entire day. But what makes it more challenging is that the turkey, a female named Easter, is Smalley’s emotional support animal, or ESA. “It must be how parents feel leaving their kids home with a babysitter,” she says.

Smalley has owned Easter, a broad-breasted bronze, for almost two years. The full story of how the turkey fell into her lap is a long one, but here’s the short of it: It was Easter Sunday in 2014 and two of Smalley’s friends were driving to her home in Duvall, Washington, just outside Seattle, when they saw an abandoned turkey chick on the road. They took the chick to Smalley’s house, and it was love at first sight. The timing could not have been more perfect, Smalley says, because she was going through a separation from her husband and was looking for comfort. “It was difficult living on my own. I don’t have any family out here, so she’s all I have,” she says. Still, it wasn't until later, after Smalley's ex-husband died of cancer and she began seeing a therapist, that Easter was classified as an ESA. After the therapist determined that the bird was providing legitimate support in helping her grieve, Smalley got her turkey registered.

In the time since she adopted Easter, Smalley says the turkey has become an invaluable part of her life. “She helps me realize that I am okay, and not as bad as I think I am,” she says. In some ways, Easter has been even better than her therapist. “I can’t kiss and cuddle my therapist.” 

Unlike registered service animals, ESAs aren’t regulated under the American Disabilities Act, so they don’t have the same rights and access, like being allowed in restaurants and hotels. But they are permitted in some public places. Last month Smalley and Easter made headlines when the duo boarded an airplane together. 

Some may look askance at the idea of a turkey trotting around business class. And there’s reason to be skeptical—the ESA system is abused by many. Aubrey Fine, a board member at Pet Partners and author of The Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy, says lying about having an ESA or obtaining a fake ESA certificate is an all-too-common practice. “I really care about my animals, but I’m not going to call them my ‘emotional support animals,’ because I’m able to function without them,” he says. Smalley, for her part, agrees that it should be more difficult to get an ESA. 

But that doesn’t discount the idea of an ESA altogether. Marty Becker, a veterinarian and author of The Healing Power of Pets, says owning an animal for emotional support is better than any medicine. “It’s a medicine that’s trusted and doesn’t have any side effects. And on top of that, it’s free. How do you beat that?” Fine says that, unlike dogs and cats and other traditional pets, birds have a unique social aspect that many people find appealing. “Having a bird can be very engaging—some say words and sing songs. Once that connection is there, owning a bird that chirps when you come near them is really special.” (The New York Times Magazine recently published an article about parrots helping veterans overcome their trauma.) 

For Smalley, Easter is more like a family member than a pet. She rides in the front seat of the car and sticks her head out the window. “I imagine her thinking of flying,” Smalley says. She has a kennel at Smalley's apartment, and she uses a diaper when they travel. “She’s a ray of sunshine," Smalley says. "She’s innocent, but can be mischievous, just like a toddler."


Click on the link to see the turkey on the plane.

Vocabulary:

to make headlines -

to share your side of the story -

challenging (adj) -

a support animal -

a babysitter -

to fall into your lap -

here's the short of it (inf) -

a chick -

love at first sight -

the timing could not have been more perfect -

to go through (a separation) -
comfort (n) -

to grieve -

invaluable
(adj) -

to realize -
to cuddle sb -

unlike
(prep) -


to board -

to look askance -

to trot around -

skeptical (adj) sceptical (UK) -

fake (adj) -


all-too-common -

side effects -

on top of that, -

appealing
(adj) -

engaging (adj)

to chirp -

a parrot -

to overcome sth -

to stick your head out of the window -

a kennel -

a diaper (US) a nappy (UK) -

a ray of sunshine -

mischievous (adj) -

a toddler -


Thanksgiving: What's the history of the holiday and why does the United States celebrate 'turkey day'? 


What is the history of Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Day can be traced back to the 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation, where the religious refugees from England known popularly as the Pilgrims invited the local Native Americans to a harvest feast after a particularly successful growing season.

The previous year's harvests had failed and in the winter of 1620, half of the pilgrims had starved to death.

Luckily for the rest, members of the local Wampanoag tribe taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn, beans and squash (the Three Sisters); catch fish, and collect seafood.

There are only two contemporary accounts of the 1621 Thanksgiving, but it's clear that turkey was not on the menu. The three-day feast included goose, lobster, cod and deer.

So why do Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day? 

Pilgrim Edward Winslow wrote a letter about that now-famous meal in 1621 which mentioned a turkey hunt before the dinner.

Another theory says the choice of turkey was inspired by Queen Elizabeth I who was eating dinner when she heard that Spanish ships had sunk on their way to attack England.

She was so thrilled with the news she ordered another goose be served. Some claim early US settlers roasted turkeys as they were inspired by her actions.

Others say that as wild turkeys are native to North America, they were a natural choice for early settlers.



Comments

José said…
Hi Graham,

I don't know why Miss Smalley doesn't take her turkey to work. She takes her turkey to work, she leaves it in nursery with a babysister (there is nursery at work), she goes to see it sometimes and she gives candy to it. At the end of the work she takes her turky home. As the turkey is like a toddler, Miss Smalley must cuddle it and tell him that it is a ray of sunshine for her. But what will the turkey think then? I suppose that the turkey will look askance. ¡What a pity!

Thanksgiving Day is the day that the turkey species grieves in the USA. It must be impressive because they need million upon million of turkeys. In Spain it's usual to have dinner turkey in Eve Christmas but I prefer lamb and if it's possible from Segovia.

I wish you Marry Christmas.
Graham said…
Hi José,

How did Xmas go? I was surprised to get your comment on Christmas Eve. I thought you'd have been tucking into your lamb.

This will have been my fourth meat-free Christmas. I had nut roast while my parents had the traditional turkey.

You might ridicule Ms Smalley but I entirely understand the emotional support an animal can give a person. I just wish I had an animal to return home to. I make do with city birds such as pigeons, blackbirds and sparrows.


I don't know why Miss Smalley doesn't take her turkey to work. She could take her turkey to work, leave it in a nursery with a childminder (there is a nursery at work), go to see it sometimes and give candy to it. At the end of work she takes her turkey home. As the turkey is like a toddler, Miss Smalley must cuddle it and tell him that it is a ray of sunshine for her. But what will the turkey think then? I suppose that the turkey will look askance. ¡What a pity!

Thanksgiving Day is the day that the turkey species grieves / mourns in the USA. It must be impressive because they need millions upon millions of turkeys. In Spain, it's usual / traditional to have turkey for dinner on Christmas Eve but I prefer lamb and if it's possible from Segovia.
José said…
Hi Graham,

You can't bear it, always you hear something about animals, you take the opportunity to defend them. You are its great defense lawyer, but I wouldn't defend pigeons because they are dirty. I like sparrows, they are my favorite birds.

Last day, I was driving and I get lost, suddenly I left from the road and I came in front of my grandmother's dovecote. Only I saw pigeons that came to me, but my grandmother didn't leave them to get close me. It relieved me because they hadn't eyes. It was cloudy, grey and like yesteryear.

My grandmother pointed me a sparrow which flew without opening its wings. It was so curious that I followed it to see how it could fly. It joined to others which flew like it and although I thought that it couldn't be true, I clung this sight. So many sparrows appeared that the sky filled of the darkness. It was the night of hopes.

I woke on the road, but my car isn't there. I came back to the dovecote and my car isn't there, neither the dovecote, nor I could say goodbye to my grandmother. I didn't see sparrows. I felt stressed and stunned. Then, I decide to calm down because only we live once and the suffering not be worth the effort. Out phobias, I told me, neither ambitions, goodbye the Christmas cravings, I refused the dream of the lottery and I rid the anxiety.

I saw again my grandmother but it was her photography that I have my home. (It's cryptic but easy).

I wish you a Happy Hogmanay.
Graham said…
Good morning José,

Happy New Year!

My head is a bit fuzzy and I don't have the energy to decipher your comment.

Today is going to be my first alcohol free day. Do you think I will manage a month? More? Place your bets. :-)

What are your New Year resolutions?


You can't bear it, any time you hear something about animals, you take the opportunity to defend them. You are its great defense lawyer, but I wouldn't defend pigeons because they are dirty. I like sparrows, they are my favorite birds.

(I'm sure I've directed you to this post before but it's worth another read) http://madteachergraham2.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/start-loving-pigeons.html

The other day, I was driving and I got lost, suddenly I left the road and I ended up in front of my grandmother's dovecote. Some pigeons flew towards me but my grandmother didn't let them get close to me. I was relieved because they didn't have eyes. It was cloudy, grey and like yesteryear.

My grandmother pointed out a sparrow which was flying without opening its wings. It was so curious that I followed it to see how it could / managed to fly. It joined the others which flew in the same way and although I thought that it couldn't be true, I remained staring at this sight. So many sparrows appeared that the sky was filled by darkness. It was the night of hopes.

I woke up on the road, but my car wasn't there. I came back to the dovecote and my car wasn't there, neither the dovecote, nor I could say goodbye to my grandmother. I didn't see any sparrows. I felt stressed and stunned. I then decided to calm down because we only live once and suffering is not worth the effort. Our phobias, I said to myself, neither ambitions, goodbye to Christmas cravings, I refused the dream of the lottery and I rid myself of anxiety.

I saw again my grandmother but it was her photograph that I have at home. (It's cryptic but easy).


See you soon!
José said…
Hi Graham, Happy New Year,

I think you are a lost case. I can't imagine your father eating a good turkey and you eating nut roast at the same table.

My son in law cooked a turkey and it was good taste. My daughter cooked a "escalivada" and it was delicious. We were having dinner the turkey and the escalivada (similar to nut roast), at the same time, on Hogmanay.

You get used to drinking plenty whisky, bear, wine and so on. The other day I saw a group of Scottish people on TV. All of them went drunks, they were seeking Inverness. You were in the group. I'm sure. After two weeks drunk, now you need one month to recover the consciousness. For this reason you lost the energy to read my comment.

Anyway, this finished. Say you goodbye to Scotland and you don't forget to say hello to prison warden.

I wish you a good journey.
Graham said…
Hi José,

I'd better reply now before you write your next comment otherwise you won't be a happy chappy. haha

I am sure that the latest post will amuse you.



My son in law cooked a turkey and it tasted good. My daughter cooked a "escalivada" and it was delicious. We had turkey and escalivada (similar to nut roast) for dinner on Hogmanay.

You are used to drinking plenty whisky, bear, wine and so on. The other day I saw a group of Scottish people on TV. All of them were drunk, they were seeking Inverness. You were in the group. I'm sure. After two weeks drunk, now you need one month to recover consciousness. For this reason you lost the energy to read my comment.

Anyway, it's all over. *Say goodbye to Scotland and *don't forget to say hello to the prison warden.

I wish you a good journey. / I hope you have a good journey.

* Don't use subject pronouns with imperatives.