Hello everybody, and happy Easter. Recently I wrote about my Pekin duck, Peacy, and his adopted brother, Onyx, a Cayuga. Well, they were both “Easter Casualties” – ducklings bought on impulse at feed stores and later discarded in parks to fend for themselves, which is always – not sometimes – but ALWAYS deadly.
I know Kim from the Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary, and her passion is her waterfowl rescue organization. Her organization, like any non-profit animal rescue group, is constantly seeking donations for vet bills, feed, bedding, shelter costs, etc. I am including her April Newsletter here because there is a fun contest that she has going on with duck or geese photos in different categories. Winners get fun ribbons, and people like you and me can help sponsor not only the contest but also the rescue by donating towards the cost of the ribbons.
By the way, Kim has written a one-of-a-kind book on owning and caring for pet ducks, and all their special needs. I have done waterfowl rescue since 1989, and have have personally housed as many as 72 at one time in my suburban Creve Coeur house (how many ways can you spell labour of love???), but I currently have no waterfowl, just two Bantam chickens, and I miss those webby feetsies. So if any of you have waterfowl, or even just an interest, I would highly recommend this book.
Take a look at this website, and when you are thinking of donating towards worthy causes, consider this, a less well-known but incredibly needy niche.
Enjoy this beautiful weather, and go Hug A Duck where you can!
Dorene
PS – our local duck rescue organization is the Humane Society of MO’s farm animal division, LongMeadow Ranch, in Union, MO. They have waterfowl rescues for adoption there. Here is their link: http://longmeadowrescueranch.
Dorene and friends rescuing abandoned ducks.
I wish you would write a blog entry about people who hand chicks and ducklings to children to play with like toys. The little birds often get handled to death. Such people also don’t have the kids wash their hands before and after handling the birds, thus contributing to the spread of harmful bacteria.