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Traveling petting zoo ade]i <br />g <br />Star Tribune photos by Joey Mc sister <br />"Socks" the Iamb munched on grass as resident Robert Pottorff hung onto his leash at the Ebenezer Hall health -care facility In"!',H?..". <br />Minneapolis. Bill and Jean Walton have been operating their portable petting zoo for 10 years. With more than 150 animals to feed <br />and shelter, they're running out of room at their current home; and are building a new place In Lino Lakes. <br />Couple's love for animals <br />shared with kids, seniors <br />Gabriel the chicken is <br />a crowd favorite when <br />Bill and Jean Walton <br />take their petting zoo to nurs- <br />ing homes and senior centers. <br />A Japanese banty, Gabriel <br />sits on wheelchairs, and <br />� <br />metimes on shoulders, as <br />ple "ooh" and ".ah." <br />"The chickens seem to <br />bring back childhood memo- <br />ries," said Bill Walton, who's <br />been operating the portable <br />petting zoo for 10 years. <br />Yes, the Waltons under- <br />stand the power of animals. <br />"Once, at the White Bear <br />Care Center, I took the chick- <br />en over to.a womanyivho was 'C <br />all curled up and set it. on her <br />tray. She started telling me <br />how she'd been bittefit by a <br />hen when she was a little girl <br />on the farm. And how she'd <br />been chased by the rooster," <br />Walton said. <br />St PAUL continues on B4 <br />Bill Walton, co -owner of Animals of Walton's Hollow of White <br />Bear Lake, blew on the nose of "Benjamin Blue" recently at <br />the Vadnals Heights Heritage Days Festival. Walton said the <br />pony enjoys the attention to his nose. <br />