Dear Saraferret, although you welcome fuzzies at the Rainbow Bridge,
is it possible to make an exception for Snorkles? He is responsible for
rescuing seven fuzzies. Although he had wings his whole life, Peking
ducks are unable to fly. Oh, how he tried to join his mallard friends
in the sky. To make matters worse, his arthritis got so bad that he
was unable to stand upright for the past year.

On Sunday night, Snorkles died peacefully in my arms. The necropsy
report discovered a two inch tumor in his abdomen, wrapped in his small
intestine in addition to two cups of fluid. The vet said he did not
suffer and died of either toxinia, and infection from the tumor, a
blood clot, or organ faiure.

Here is a small snapshot into Snorkles' life. I hope you will welcome
him at the Bridge.

Snorkles was the one who opened my eyes to animal rescue a little over
five years ago when he waddled into my life. Frightened and alone, he
scurried around in the street. He was a yellow ball of fluff, too small
to even reach the curb.

Darren (my ex) and I always referred to time as life before and after
Snorkles. We used to go out nightly for dinner until we had to be home
by dark to bring Snorkles into the house. We used to go on weekend
getaways until Snorkels. We never considered giving him away along with
the two hundred+ rescue ducks. He was our baby. Snorkles was one of a
kind. How many other ducks can say they have a third grade education?
Snorkles went to school with me daily for his first three months. He
rode in a laundry basket with his seatbelt on. While stopped at red
lights, Snorkles would pop right up to look out the front window. You
should have seen the look on peoples' faces in the crosswalk when they
saw a duck in the front seat. Not only was Snorkles educated, but he
was also well cultured. One evening he attended an outdoor performance
of the play, The Pirates of Penzence. The elderly couple seated next to
us laughed at the sight of Snorkles munching on the grass and drinking
his cup of water. To this he replied, "I thought I had seen it all."
On occasion Snorkles requested an evening out for dinner. We knew of
a duck friendly restaurant by the name of Hoff's Hut. In fact we had
our "regular" table out on the patio. Snorkles consistently got
preferential treatment, but always ordered the usual, a garden salad.
I don't think this entree compared to the escargot which would be
hand delivered to him while attending school. How he loved snails. The
students would bring these pesticide-free snails from their gardens
in sandwich bags. Snorkles had such a fan base that he even had a
song written about him, two painted portraits of himself which decorate
my home, and countless student drawings. There are many more Snorkles
Stories to tell.

These are just a few to give you a better understanding of what a
special boy he was to me. I miss him dearly, but believe for the first
time ever, he can fly. He did so... to Heaven.

Anita

[Posted in FML 5763]