A homeless Rouen duck was adopted Saturday into a flock of waterfowl and chickens, according to Haines Animal Rescue Kennel’s (HARK) Tracy Mikowski. The only downgrade to his new residence? “No pool, currently.”
Three weeks ago the domesticated duck found plodding down Main Street was scooped up by locals and delivered to HARK.
His new owners prefer to remain anonymous, Mikowski said, but they’ve told her that the bird is doing well. His new caretakers named the duck Bill Milton and said he has all the female ducks in his flock smitten.
Mikowski identified the duck as the domesticated breed of a mallard, called a Rouen, based on its large size and friendly behavior. He enjoyed the shelter’s heated floors and inflatable pool for two weeks before officially being named and posted for adoption, a process that gives potential owners time to claim their animals before the shelter rehomes them, Mikowski said
Jon and Sydney Wray were the apparent former-owners of the duck. According to the Wrays, their lone duck went missing from their backyard on First Avenue in late December.
Jon Wray told the CVN that he gives the new owner his blessing. “Otherwise, I have to go get my wife to get it,” he said in a phone interview from his workplace in California. “And she probably doesn’t want to do that.”
Half a dozen families expressed interest in Bill before the anonymous fowl owners adopted him. Several residents keep ducks for their eggs.
Mikowski said that Bill’s absence is noticeable.
“We had fun. He was good company,” she said. “It was funny to be working in the office and hear splashing coming from the kennel area.”