Harley Riding Therapy Parrot Is Metro Detroit Man's Best Friend [VIDEO]
DETROIT (WWJ) - He's a Garden City man's best friend and constant companion — even on his motorcycle.
Fred Harley the therapy parrot rides a Harley while perched on the shoulder of his owner, Norm Ludwig.
"He goes everywhere with me," Ludwig told WWJ's Sandra McNeil. "We rode up on the Harley from Garden City all the way up here to Franklin."
But how in the heck does the bird hang on?
"He's got sharp nails and he trusts me."
Ludwig adopted Fred Harley — a Senegal parrot, native to Africa — six years ago when he was severely disabled with a back injury from a car accident.
"My brother-in-law had him and he was a little too busy because he owned a restaurant, and I was having a little bit of depression problems, and he asked me if he wanted to see if he would take to me," Ludwig said. "He's been with me ever since and he's gotten me through all my hard times."
"He keeps me happy and keeps me busy, and he likes to just hang out and talk to me and just keeps me from my mind dwelling on my injury," Ludwig said.
Ludwig admits gets some looks and comments from people who don't understand the bond — and question why Fred Harley is allowed in public places, like stores.
"But he's my therapy bird and keeps me through everything, and he's got every right to be with me. It's the same as a seeing eye dog does with a blind man," Ludwig said.
But Fred Harley is known to have a bit of an attitude.
"He'll call me a crybaby if he hears me whining, he does," Ludwig said. "And if someone gets a little too close to me he'll tell 'em to stop, and squawk at you. He'll let you know."