Pet duck is better than a dog
Taranaki teacher Evie Batten wanted a dog, but ended up with a duck who has turned out to be everything she’d hoped for in a pet.
Pippi, a 2-year-old muscovy she raised from a duckling, goes out for walks, sleeps on her bed and wags his tail excitedly when she gets home.
Muscovy ducks are larger than other breeds, with distinctive red faces. They don’t quack, although the drakes hiss.
Their quietness makes them a good town pet, but not many get to live the life Pippi has – he’s made it to social media as Mr Pip the Tahi T-Rex on Facebook, with a worldwide following of duck enthusiasts, and even has a girlfriend in Brazil.
Pippi has more accessories than many cosseted handbag dogs.
He wears special nappies attached to a harness Batten imported from the United States, has a ladybird raincoat for wet days, and neoprene shoes to protect his feet from a condition called bumblefoot that poultry can get if their feet are injured.
And like many pet dogs, Pippi dresses up for special occasions, including Christmas (this year he got fairy wings to match Batten’s own).
She takes him on outings in a bright pink pet pushchair, because although he’d rather walk (on his leash), he insists on going at a very slow meander, with plenty of stops.
He’s always a hit when Batten introduces him to children.
Batten, a former journalist, retrained as a primary school teacher and is in her first year of teaching at Kakaramea School, in South Taranaki.
She has just shifted back to New Plymouth and has been taking Pippi out during the school holidays.