A yellow ball of fluff stole our hearts
One of the most important roles that a Farm Sanctuary plays is showing the world that every single farm animal is an individual with a unique personality.
When it comes to describing Butter Bean’s personality, everyone is in agreement—he is a happy go lucky, outgoing boy who loves life.
Why he ended up being dumped in the Vedder River by two young boys walking a dog is anyone’s guess. But my guess is that he escaped from a factory farm somewhere in Abbotsford. Like all successful animal rescues, then it just takes one person who cares. This kind person knew that a baby domestic duck would not survive out in the wild and rushed Butter Bean to Elizabeth’s Wildlife Rescue. Wildlife rescues are not allowed to care for domestic animals and farm sanctuaries are not allowed to care for wild animals. So it’s important that we work together to save as many lives as possible. Butter Bean was brought to us and because baby ducks are not born with lanolin oil that protects them from the wet and cold, he went into foster care.
So another kind person steps up for Butter Bean, Kindred Volunteer, Amber Livingstone took Butter Bean into her home where he was given the best baby duck care.
At his introduction to our duck flock, he immediately decided to pair up with Lilly Willy, our resident domestic Muskovy. What a perfect match and what a perfect happy ending for this baby duck. They became inseparable.
Born into the meat industry that views Pekin ducks by the pound, Butter Bean found a safe haven that valued him as an individual. We didn’t know that this yellow fluff ball would become a handsome white boy who could melt hearts with each of his quacks. And he had a lot to say! The bird yard is now way too quiet without him.
We got the call early in the morning on June 9th that there wasn’t something right with Butter Bean. He was carried into Olive Oyl’s house for observation. And before we knew it he crossed over.
Because birds are prey animals, they are very stoic and will not show that they are sick. We still don’t know what Butter Bean died from, but we have our theory. He was the product of intentional breeding to make him as large as possible as quickly as possible. This contributes to a massive system overload on all his organs, especially his heart.
But Butter Bean dying at his forever home, with his beloved Lilly by his side is something for us to celebrate. Wouldn’t this be every animal’s wish.
Butter Bean you beat the odds by finding your forever home, but you couldn’t beat the decades of factory farm breeding.
Letter to Butter Bean,
How do I get through a loss so profound that it took me months to write your story? By taking to heart what you taught me:
Find joy in the smallest moments
Be unapologetically yourself
Look calm on the surface even though you are paddling as fast as you can
Speak up when you have something to say
Stay close to those you love
Make people smile
Let the bad times roll like water off a duck’s back
I’ll do my best Butter Bean and will see you on the other side.
