Woman finds hen wandering the streets of Toronto, hopes to find its owner

When Vera Belazelkoska took her dog out for a walk two weeks ago along a Toronto laneway by Wallace Emerson Park, the last thing she expected to come upon was a fowl sight.

“There was a lot of commotion and there were many dog owners with dogs that were kind of looking at something,” Belazelkoska recounted. “And the dogs were lunging at it, and it was a chicken.”

Wanting to know why this chicken was crossing the road all alone, and concerned for its safety after a close call with a car, Belazelkoska brought it home with her and took to Facebook to see if she could find its owner.

“I just said (on the post), ‘is this your chicken?’ said Belazelkoska.

Many flocked to the post.

She even made posters and plastered them around her neighbourhood. But…

“So far nobody has come forward that its their chicken,” said Belazelkoska.

She says she called Toronto Animal Services who offered to take the bird off her hands.

Read more: Backyard chickens now allowed in parts of Toronto as part of 3-year pilot project

“I thought I could provide it a nice, safe intermediate space until we could find it a longer term home.”

So for now, she nicknamed it Claudia and it rules her roost.

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“However, through some of the engagement with the community on social media, some people say it might be a Claudio because it could be a really young rooster,” Belazelkoska said.

Global News sent pictures of the bird to Toronto Animal Services and they confirmed that Claudia is indeed a hen.

And this isn’t even Belazelkoska’s first rescue. With a rescue chicken, dog and two guinea pigs all under one roof, its a wonder she doesn’t go squawking mad.

“Now I just have one more animal to feed!” Belazelkoska laughs.

But she says, surprisingly, all the animals have an im- peck-able friendship.

“In the morning, she just joins the gang of animals,” laughed Belazelkoska, referring to Claudia.

Belazelkoska says she plans to keep Claudia for one more night. She has a meeting scheduled with an animal sanctuary, if no owner comes forward.

“But I’m still holding out hope… that (Claudia) has a family that’s missing it and I’m hoping we’ll find them,” said Belazelkoska.