When the Fleser family’s pet duck, Sophia, lost her partner of four years, Evie, to a predator, Sohpia was distressed. The Fleser’s children, seven-year-old Josie and Brayden, 16, noticed that Sophia seemed lonely and they were worried for her well-being. So their mom, Lyndsey, decided they needed to find a new companion for their duck.
They posted a "personal ad" on social media, describing Sophia as a single female duck fond of walks by the pond, in search of a mate. The response was overwhelming, with hundreds of people offering their ducks to join Sophia.
Eventually, the Flesers found a perfect match for Sophia and adopted Lucy and Goosey from a family who had also lost ducks to wildlife. Brayden noticed an immediate change in Sophia’s happiness, and Josie expressed hope that the new friendships might lead to some baby ducks in the future. The family hasn’t ruled out the possibility that they might adopt more ducks, too. “You never know," says Brayden, "We're kind of a duck family.”