|
 |
 |
| Name: |
Ethel, Norman
|
Age: |
5, 4 1/2 years old
|
| Gender: |
Female, Male
|
Kind: |
Blue and Gold Macaw, Goffin Cockatoo
|
| Home: |
New Haven, Indiana, USA
|
I
have these two very special therapy birds. They visit nursing homes,
hospitals, schools or anywhere else where they can bring smiles. Ethel is a
five-year-old Blue and Gold Macaw. Norman is a Goffin Cockatoo and will be
five in February. I got them both when they were babies. Norman was five
months old and Ethel was three months old respectively when each arrived. I
first got them because my parents were homebound and neither could get
around very well. I got Ethel first and told my mother her job was to tell
Ethel (named after my mother) "I love you" every morning. Those were
Ethel's first words! My mother died just two days after I got Norman (named
after my Dad) and he helped my Dad more then anyone or anything could have
done. They had been married 61 years and my father was terribly lonely.
Norman was so young he needed a lot of attention and my Dad needed
attention, too. They played and cried together for hours. My Dad died just
five months later, with Norman sitting on his chest waiting for him to smile
for him.
Both birds say many things and have their own personality. Norman is very
ornery and lovable and Ethel is calm and reserved. Both love to go visiting
and have their picture taken with children and the elderly. They are a
favorite in all of our community. The neighborhood children play with them
outside all the time in the summer. They eat most everything that I eat and
are a great comfort to me too. I work at the county jail here and both
birds have also been there with me and have become the jail mascots -
"Jailbirds" so to speak. They bring happiness everywhere they go and we
will continue visiting nursing homes and schools as long as I am able to
take them. We live in Indiana, and by the way, I do not let them out in the
snow, in case you were wondering.
|
Talk about today's pet in Pet Talk!
|
|
|
|
