When Melanie set out with friends to photograph nature one day, bringing home a duckling wasn’t part of the plan. But when she saw the starving baby bird, she knew he wouldn’t survive without help. Melanie wrapped Ducky in a towel, took him home and spent the night in her rocking chair, comforting him.

Ducky’s first few months were spent on Melanie’s porch. To keep him company, she introduced him to DuckDuck, a stuffed animal that had belonged to her children. It was love at first sight – Ducky immediately snuggled up to his new pal.

Ducky eventually became too big for Melanie’s porch, so she built him a “condo” and a pond. Thinking it would be healthy for Ducky to be near other ducks, she also got two ducklings – Tweedle and Dee. Their first day together didn’t go well, but the three are inseparable now. Although Ducky has found friendship with Tweedle and Dee, DuckDuck is still his favorite toy.

Thanks to Melanie, Ducky’s rescue has a happy ending. However, in any situation involving injured or abandoned wildlife, the best thing to do is to contact a local wildlife organization.