Remembering Elijah...
Final hours with Elijah (foreground),
Aladdin (background), Jasmine, Jezebel, Daisy May &
Deirdre (behind fence)
Saying good-bye to any of our ducks is
difficult enough, but saying farewell to Elijah so soon after letting
go of Glory made departing that much more difficult.
Elijah was one of our first rescued ducks
joining us in the Fall of 2004. We began Majestic upon discovering
him and nearly a dozen other ducks abandoned, hungry and injured at
Spaulding Pond in Norwich CT. Prior to the rescue, we would show up
to feed the former pet ducks, and Elijah was one of
those who hugged us in gratitude from the water before ever coming
into our sanctuary.
Elijah's leg joints suffered permanent damage from
traversing on the pond's rocky and jagged shores, and he came to us with a pretty
severe limp. Elijah was apt to plop down and rest quietly in a cozy
spot. We
were thrilled when we found him a beautiful new home, willing to
take his special needs in stride. Elijah joined Lucy the duck in his
new home and enjoyed marital bliss for many months before a raccoon
broke into their night house. Elijah's
family spared no effort or expense in getting him the best vet care
possible and bringing him back to our sanctuary to ensure his full recovery.
Elijah rides in the Pet Rock parade, Sept.
2005
It was then that we permanently retired Elijah
to our sanctuary. He fell in love with
Jezebel--another of our retired rescues. The pair have been in separable for
years. Elijah grew strong while in our care, and we sometimes called him
"Squints" in honor of the battle scar near his left eye that always
made him look like he was happily smiling.
Elijah enjoys a little time with his true love Jezebel...
Elijah was the only drake we have ever had in
our sanctuary who could handle being penned with other boys without
any fighting. He was big enough to be in charge, but kind
enough to just want to be friends. Through the years Elijah
befriended Jake The
Drake, Joven and most recently his good pal Aladdin.
Jake The Drake & Elijah
June 2005 Elijah & Joven November 2005
Elijah & Aladdin August
2008
"Look, Momma, I'm an airplane!"
Elijah's legs began to go down
hill in January. His leg joints began to swell and vet visits were lined up to
do all we could to keep him walking. Elijah was always one to plop
down and just take it easy--not big on pushing himself too hard. To
keep him exercising, he was the only drake allowed on the pond with
the hens all day. The girls could outrun him on land, but he could out swim them in the water, so it was fair for everyone.
Elijah was a gentle duck, prone to giving us
hugs even after having to take his medicine. He was apt to be found
laying in the grassy pens, soaking up the sun, or resting under his
favorite shady tree. He was a very content duck.
In the end Elijah's toe joints began to swell
uncontrollably as his advanced arthritis began to spread downward.
His knee joints continued to swell, locking up his leg joints. What
was once a slight nuisance for him quickly became a source of
labor and discomfort. He could no longer get in and out of the pond and
despite medications and the best possible vet care, infection crept
into his arthritic joints and then into his body. Despite all our
efforts, it would not let go.
Elijah was euthanized on August 15th 2008 in
order to prevent him from experiencing any further pain and
suffering. After four years in our care and in our hearts, it was
one of the most devastating things we have ever had to do. We let
him go while cupping his head in our hands and whispering promises
in his ear. He was not alone. He was never alone.
If ever there was a King here at Majestic,
Elijah was that King. He will always be the source of our
inspiration. One of the first ducks we ever welcomed into our
sanctuary and one we had hoped would have stayed with us many more
years to come. His ashes have returned to the sanctuary for forever
keeping.
We would like to thank all of Elijah's generous
and devoted sponsors who helped us care for him and his flock
through the four years of his stay.
Special thanks to Mary Gentry, Joyce
Mays, Judith Vandegrift and Gini Sikes for all you have done to make
Elijah's stay here so wonderful.
Special
Thanks
We would like to extend a very special thank
you to Laura for bringing Lemon by for a visit! We enjoyed
meeting you both!
Thank you also to Sue & family for
inviting us out to visit Angelo, Tutter, Tova, Bindy, TEN
ducklings and all your other magnificent and beautiful
animals! And thank you for letting me lay a big, giant smooch
on dear Tutter-Tut! It was exactly what my heart
needed...
And thank you to
my dear friends: Glynis, Mary, Jenn & Elaine for all of the emails and phone
calls of support these past few weeks. Our ducks & geese
were so thoughtful and wise to introduce us to each other.
Letting
Go of Daisy May...
August was without a doubt
the most difficult month since our inception. We
had to let go of Glory on the 4th and then
eleven days later, we had to say good-bye to
Elijah. We were completely caught off guard when
only six days later, we unexpectedly lost little
Daisy May. Within hours of her
lethargic symptoms Daisy May died in our arms
from peritonitis stemming from ovarian cancer.
Daisy May's ashes have been returned to the
sanctuary where she will be laid to rest with
our other spirited flock members.
My Dear Elaine, thank you
so much for allowing your feathered friends to
come to us when you were unable to care for them
anymore. Their presence, especially Daisy May's
has meant the world to us. We only wish she
could have stayed with us longer. She was a
beautiful and loving little duck who made many
friends.
Daisy May in her former home with Donald.
May you both waddle down lover's lane
together again...
Remembering Elijah
