With her new set of wheels, this burgeoning social media influencer is happy as a duck.
While Eileen — a chocolate runner duckling — was hatching from her egg, she suffered a stroke that left her legs paralyzed.
While her previous family was unable to care for her, Eileen was eventually adopted at just three weeks old by Holly Mead, a Pennsylvania native who has rescued 68 other birds.
“As soon as I saw her I instantly fell in love,” Mead, 51, told Jam Press. “I have other disabled pets and I enjoy giving them the best quality of life they can get.”
Because the cute quacker was unable to swim, fly or even walk, Mead — who also owns three cats, three dogs and three goats — wanted to purchase a custom wheelchair for Eileen.
“The dogs and cats also love her and have accepted Eileen as part of the family,” she said. “They share a dog bed with her often.”
To fundraise the $380 for a new set of wheels, she created the social media handle @mypetducks — which has garnered more than 18,200 followers on Instagram and a couple thousand more on Facebook — in an attempt to give Eileen some mobility back.
Engineers worked to adjust wheelchairs typically used for cats and dogs to make it fit Eileen’s small, feathery body, finishing the custom seat just after Christmas. While it’s still slightly big for the baby duck, Mead said Eileen will grow into it.
“She’s learning to use it and we hope that with time and training, she will be able to move it around the house on her own,” she said.
With the help of the wheelchair, Eileen, who is now 6 months old, loves to sit with Mead, her husband and her dad Ernie, 82, watching TV or snacking from the food and water dishes attached to the chair.
When the family watches football, Eileen “jumps like crazy” when their team scores.
“The vet said physical therapy would help so at first I made her a seat out of PVC pipe that she can use to strengthen her legs,” Mead said. “She uses it like a bouncy seat.”
The cocoa-colored duck lives in luxury with her new family, being carried around in a papoose when leaving the house for vet visits.
“Eileen is a very happy duck. She loves people and snuggles,” Mead gushed of her feathery friend. “She helps provide comfort to my father who is in poor health. She brings us such joy so it’ll be great to share that with others too.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic is over, Mead wants to take Eileen to nursing homes and special needs schools to provide comfort as an emotional support animal.
Fans of Eileen fawn over the darling duck on social media, especially when she debuted her brand new wheelchair in a video that’s been viewer more than 6,000 times.
“This makes me so happy!” commented one user. “I can’t wait to show mum.”
“You will make it Eileen!” encouraged another.
“So awesome!” a fan exclaimed. “You are gonna zoom like a race car little one.”
