When Matthew Lyson got a call about a pair of ducks stranded on a golf course, he didn’t hesitate for a second. As the founder of Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary (MDRS), Lyson is used to juggling multiple rescues at once — but this one couldn’t wait.
He canceled his plans, jumped in the car, and began the hour-long drive to Crosswinds Golf Course in Perrysburg, Ohio, to save two frightened, abandoned ducks who had been left to fend for themselves.
“It’s not like we don’t already have enough rescues here in Michigan,” Lyson wrote on Facebook, “but when you see two sweet little, barely adult, dumped domestic ducks craving attention … you have to change plans quickly.”
The two ducks — a male and a female — had been spotted wandering between the 10th and 11th holes for nearly a month, approaching every golfer they saw in hopes of making a friend.
Golf course employees said they had been trying to survive on scraps, surrounded by coyotes that roamed the area at night.
“They were so starved, it’s no surprise they were trying to make new friends,” Lyson said. “I was amazed they’d survived that long.”
Lyson’s friends Lisa and Mike helped coordinate and assist with the rescue. When Lyson finally spotted the ducks resting in a pond, he and Mike gently lured them closer with a bag of nuts. Moments later, they were safe in caring hands.
You can see more pictures from their rescue here:
After weeks of loneliness and fear, the pair were finally rescued — and they seemed to know it. Lyson and Mike held the ducks close all the way back to Michigan, where a much better life was waiting.
Now, the once-abandoned “golf course ducks” are thriving at MDRS. They’ve made new friends, swim happily in the sanctuary’s ponds, and are finally living the peaceful life they deserve.
“They’re safe now,” Lyson said. “They’ll never be alone again.”
To help more ducks like these two find safety and care, you can support by donating to the Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary.
