“Chicken has a super important job …”
Most of the animals who enter MSPCA-Angell are looking for a home, but Chicken, an Irish wolfhound, always arrives in search of friends.
When Alyssa Krieger, a staff member at MSPCA-Angell, first welcomed Chicken home, she immediately knew that the fluffy puppy was special. Named Chicken of the Sea after her late sibling, Tuna, Chicken’s easygoing temperament and love of people brought a sense of healing to Krieger’s home — one she instantly wanted to share with the shelter residents.
Instagram/@ginormouschicken
While introducing a new dog to a busy animal shelter could be difficult, Krieger was confident that Chicken had the right personality for the job. Her theory was confirmed when, while walking into the shelter one day, they came face-to-face with a resident puppy on a walk.
At 10 months old, Chicken already towered over the puppy, but she didn’t intimidate them at all. She gently played with the puppy briefly before heading inside with her mom.
Instagram/@ginormouschicken
Shortly after, Chicken met another puppy with a completely different personality from the first, but she still knew just how to connect with them.
“A couple days later, we had a very shy puppy, and I offered to bring her up to my office for the day to just get out of the kennel,” Krieger said. “Chicken was much calmer with that one, like she knew she needed something different from her.”
Instagram/@ginormouschicken
From then on, Chicken met nearly every animal who arrived at MSPCA-Angell. No matter their size, age or species, Chicken had a special way of befriending everyone. She’d always let them approach her at their speed and hung back calmly until they were ready to play.
“Chicken has a super important job at [MSCPA-Angell],” Krieger wrote on Instagram. “It’s her responsibility to give shelter puppies a safe space to relax if they’re feeling stressed at the shelter (and occasionally a kitten we take home).”
Instagram/@ginormouschicken
Of her many new friends, Chicken formed an adorable bond with a tiny orphaned kitten, Gumball.
“He was totally unafraid of her, and she was always within a few feet of wherever he was while we fostered him,” Krieger said. “It was extremely cute because he was the size of one of her paws, but they just followed each other all around the house.”
You can see Chicken and Krieger’s bond form here:
Some shelter residents automatically feel safe around Chicken, while others learn it through her calm demeanor. Like Ana, an anxious resident pup who struggled to make friends.
“[Ana] was having a really hard time meeting dogs because she makes herself look pretty scary when they approach,” Krieger wrote on Instagram. “We wanted to give her the chance to meet a dog who was not going to escalate the situation so that we could see if she was just afraid or if she really doesn’t like dogs.”
After just a few hours together, Ana transformed from a reactive dog in Chicken’s presence to a calm companion who played appropriately with her new friend. In doing so, she proved to staff members that she would be a great foster care and adoption candidate.
You can watch Chicken and Ana’s day together here:
Chicken isn’t just changing lives at MSPCA-Angell — she’s saving them, too. The sweet girl donates blood and is uniquely positioned to save as many lives as possible.
“She’s a universal donor, so she can help any dog that comes in through our ICU needing a transfusion, and the fact that she’s so easy-going and comfortable in the hospital environment makes her an ideal candidate,” Krieger said.
Instagram/@ginormouschicken
When she’s not caring for needy shelter pets, Chicken can usually be found playing rambunctiously with her best dog friends (an Irish wolfhound named Poppy, a pit bull mix named Junie and a collie named Enid), cuddling with her beloved human brother, Max, or getting as many scritches as possible from strangers at the park.
At almost 3 years old, Chicken has accomplished a lot in such a short amount of time. And, with many more friends to make and lives to change, the sweet girl is just getting started.
You can keep up with Chicken’s shelter friendships on Instagram.
To help animals at MSCPA-Angell get the care they need, you can donate here.
You can inquire about adopting Ana here.
