“Chicken has a super important job …”
At MSPCA-Angell, most animals are seeking a new home, but Chicken, an Irish wolfhound, arrives looking for friends.
When Alyssa Krieger, a staff member at the shelter, first brought Chicken home, she immediately recognized that this fluffy puppy was special. Named “Chicken of the Sea” after her late sibling, Tuna, Chicken’s friendly, laid-back nature quickly brought a sense of healing to Krieger’s home — one that she was eager to share with the shelter animals. Though introducing a new dog to a busy shelter can be challenging, Krieger was sure that Chicken’s personality would be a perfect fit. Her hunch was confirmed when they encountered a resident puppy on a walk one day.
Despite being just 10 months old and much larger than the puppy, Chicken didn’t intimidate the little one. She gently played with the puppy before heading inside with her mom. Not long after, Chicken met another puppy, this time with a completely different temperament. But once again, Chicken knew how to connect with her.
“A few days later, we had a very shy puppy, and I offered to bring her to my office for the day to give her a break from the kennel,” Krieger said. “Chicken was much calmer with her, almost as if she knew the puppy needed something different.”
From then on, Chicken became acquainted with nearly every animal that arrived at MSPCA-Angell. No matter the size, age, or species, Chicken had a remarkable ability to befriend them all. She patiently allowed each animal to approach her at their own pace, calmly waiting until they were ready to play.
“Chicken has a crucial role at MSPCA-Angell,” Krieger shared on Instagram. “She gives shelter puppies a safe space to relax when they’re feeling stressed, and sometimes she even helps out with kittens we foster at home.”
One of Chicken’s most heartwarming friendships was with a tiny orphaned kitten named Gumball.
“He wasn’t afraid of her at all, and she was always nearby while we fostered him,” Krieger said. “It was adorable because Gumball was the size of one of Chicken’s paws, yet they just followed each other around the house.”
While some animals immediately feel at ease with Chicken, others come to trust her thanks to her calm, gentle nature. One such animal was Ana, an anxious dog who had trouble meeting other dogs.
“Ana would act very intimidating when meeting other dogs,” Krieger explained on Instagram. “We wanted to see if she was just scared or if she genuinely didn’t get along with dogs, so we introduced her to Chicken.”
After spending just a few hours together, Ana went from being reactive to calm and playful around Chicken, proving to the staff that she could be a great candidate for foster care and adoption.
Chicken doesn’t just change lives — she saves them, too. As a universal blood donor, she helps dogs in need of transfusions at the shelter’s ICU. “Because she’s so easy-going and comfortable in the hospital environment, she’s an ideal candidate,” Krieger said.
When she’s not helping shelter pets, Chicken enjoys playing with her best dog friends, including an Irish wolfhound named Poppy, a pit bull mix named Junie, and a collie named Enid. She also loves cuddling with her human brother, Max, and getting as many belly rubs as possible from strangers at the park.
At almost 3 years old, Chicken has already made a lasting impact. And with many more friends to make and lives to change, her journey is far from over.