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Disabled Duck Gets His Own Special Wheelchair

Disabled Duck Gets His Own Special Wheelchair

Merlin can waddle where he pleases now, and it's bloody adorable

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A duck that was born with a problem with one of his legs can now waddle about as he pleases thanks to a specially adapted wheelchair.

Seriously, get ready. This is an overload of sheer cuteness.

Merlin is a domestic duck who was adopted by the Goats of Anarchy (fantastic name) Sanctuary in Annandale, New Jersey in November 2018.

After they took Merlin in, they realised that he was lame in one leg and couldn't walk or swim properly. So, they got in contact with Walkin' Pets. They are a business whose sole purpose is to construct bespoke walking and wheeling aids for animals.

That's gotta be a fun job, right?

Merlin the duck, looking pretty pleased with himself.
SWNS

The company - which is based in Amherst, New Hampshire - set about figuring out how to get Merlin up and about on his feet.

First off, they took a wheelchair that is ordinarily for cats and dogs. Then they did some special modifications and tweaks to that model so that it would accommodate a duck. Simple as that, Merlin was up and about.

Mark Robinson, who founded Walkin' Pets back in 2001, said: "I was thrilled my company was able to help a handicapped duck, our first one ever."

Merlin was given a new lease of life by Walkin' Pets.
SWNS

Earlier on in February, Merlin was equipped with his new wheels and Walkin' Pets' social media co-ordinator Mikayla Feehan was on hand to capture Merlin's first steps.

She said: "We took a road trip to New Jersey earlier this month to visit Goats of Anarchy, who rescue disabled animals.

"Merlin was born with an injured leg and they reached out to us to fit him with a wheelchair.

"We have never made one for a duck so one of our engineers adjusted a mini quad wheelchair just for him. Watching him take his first steps was really cool.

"Once he was all rigged up, it was truly amazing. It's not every day you get to see animals take their first steps.

"The wheelchair can go into water we would just recommend avoiding salt water to keep the wheelchair in tip top shape."

Merlin taking his first steps.
SWNS

Yeah, presumably the wheelchair would rust pretty quickly. It's a good job Merlin isn't a sea-going duck.

Since starting out back in 2001, Walkin' Pets has provided more than 50,000 animals from all across the world with a way of walking. That has to be a seriously rewarding job.

It sounds as if that's a fair assessment. Mikayla continued: "To see Merlin taking his first steps in that wheelchair really warmed my heart."

Magic.

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: News, US News, Animals