Lucy was my beloved Muscovy duck. I rescued her from a livestock auction. Lucy was more like a dog..when I came to the yard she greeted me at the fence with tail wagging, eat out of my hands, loved to be held and petted. I lost my beloved friend on 10-31-06 to a raccoon attack. I went out early to let her out of her duck house and I saw her sitting out in the icy morning by the door (like a loyal dog) to the chicken coop. I thought “Oh my gosh, I forgot to lock her up last night”..It was then I saw her bloody, shredded back. The guilt and anguish I felt was heart wrenching…it was my fault ! I drove her to the vet. It was a severe injury ..she would not recover.

She must have put up one heck of a fight to have even survived a raccoon attack.I felt so guilty and responsible,,, so much pain and guilt I could not be in the room while my love was put to sleep. I sat in the waiting room and sobbed. It took so long it seemed..the vet came and told me that Lucy took a long time to go under..She had a strong spirit the vet said, she must have loved me a lot. I broke down and sobbed letting go of every tear my eyes held. I took my feathered baby’s body home to bury under the the pine tree near her duck house. Later in the day, in my grief, I went to her house, I opened the door and saw by the evidence of ripped wire and blood and feathers inside her home, I had NOT forgotten to lock her up safely the previous night. A raccoon broke through the wire and attacked her during the night and drug her out!!!!! If I had known that it wasnt my fault I could have been with her in her final moments but due to my shame of believing I was responsible for her pain and suffering I could not bare to watch her die.

I was never able to use her duck house for animals again. Every time I opened the door I saw her “nest” and the vision of her peacefully resting securely and content,,the same evening scene I had witnessed night after night for 5 years.
Yes, she was a duck. But she loved me, was my buddy and brought me great joy and happiness.
I miss her even today.

Rebecca from WA