- [Narrator] A dog and a turkey?
Who'd of ever thought these two wildly different creatures
might have anything to talk about?
Let alone, understand each other.
(dog barking)
They might look like they're arguing,
but it's actually, more like two siblings bickering.
(turkey gobbles)
How did these two peas in a pod
find themselves in the same home?
It's quite a tale.
(turkey gobbles)
Let's start with Blossom.
A broad breasted, white turkey,
who was destined to be the main course
at someones Thanksgiving.
For her first five weeks of life this little bird
grew up with hundreds of other chicks on a brood farm.
When the turkeys were sent off for the next stage
to be fattened up, Blossom was somehow left behind.
The farmer's daughter found her and pleaded
for little Blossom's life to be spared.
They gave her to an animal shelter
where Deputy Director Abbie Hubbard
offered to give her a home.
But there was one potential hurdle to overcome.
Abbie's dog, Minnow.
- I wasn't worried about how Minnow would view Blossom.
I just wasn't sure what Blossom would think of Minnow.
My first interactions with Blossom
were at our animal shelter
and she was terrified.
This is the moment that Blossom arrived at our home.
Minnow walked right up and Blossom saw her
and she was instantly comfortable with her.
- [Narrator] It didn't take long for Blossom
to find her comfort zone in her new surroundings.
She wasted no time claiming Minnow's bed as her own.
As you can see, their friendship was quick to blossom.
- She just seemed like a different bird at that point.
So this is their first cuddle.
It was another moment for Blossom,
where she really relaxed.
- [Narrator] Now, you might be wondering,
"Do turkeys make for good house pets?"
The answer is a pretty hard no, most of the time.
They're impossible to house train and typically,
only bond with other turkeys.
- [Abbie] When she came into our family,
she was ripe for learning.
- [Narrator] But Minnow had a special touch.
You might never know why.
But it could have had something to do with
her own origin story.
(dog barking)
Minnow was born on a dog meat farm in South Korea.
Along with 22 others, she too, was destined to become food.
But before she was slaughtered the Humane Society
in the United States swooped in and rescued her
and her pals as they shut down the farm.
Only five months old at the time,
her life would've turned out a whole lot differently.
- She was quite fearful when she arrived
at our shelter for adoption and I just immediately,
fell in love with her.
And because I like working with fearful animals,
I felt particularly drawn to helping her.
- [Narrator] She knows she's safe and loved
and now, a very important member of a family.
- It was quite special that what I had
been able to do for Minnow,
Minnow had then been able to do for Blossom
in making her comfortable in our home.
- [Narrator] Like any siblings, they squabble sometimes.
Sure, Minnow can be protective of her toys.
And Blossom's somewhat of an antagonist.
(dog barking)
- It's kind of like, the way my little brother teased me.
(dog barking)
Blossom likes to put up a bit of a fight.
(turkey gobbles)
And so then, she'll get worked up
and you'll see her feathers puff up
and she'll kind of arch her neck
and make her little turkey warning sounds.
(turkey gobbles)
(dog growls)
Minnow's put up with a lot.
I think she's come to understand that,
that's how Blossom communicates.
And she tolerates it and it's all part
of being in a relationship, right?
Come on Bloss.
(laughing)
Come on!
- [Narrator] Minnow, takes her role seriously.
Blossom can get scared from time to time.
See that vulture overhead has her shaking in her feathers.
- She often looks to the sky.
She's worried about the birds of prey.
Which is typical as an instinct.
Are you showing Bloss what to do?
- [Narrator] But Minnow's instinct
is to have her pal's back at all times.
- [Abbie] Minnow has always been really good
at kind of sensing what Blossom needs
and being a security blanket for her.
- [Narrator] This family's first Thanksgiving
was as special as any you could be invited to.
And rather than being served as dinner,
these two lucky ducks were just served dinner as VIPs.
- That was it, it was a done deal, she was home.
She was part of our family and I think
we were all just as thrilled as could be.