Terrier Skip is a duck’s best friend (From York Press)

Terrier Skip is a duck’s best friend

9:45am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in Video By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

A DOG and a duck have started an unlikely friendship at a new rehabilitation centre for wounded animals.

Amateur wildlife photographer Annette Pyrah, from Barlby , started the centre by taking in occasional wildlife patients, but said she is now operating on a full-time basis. She believes hers is the only wildlife rescue centre in the Selby or Goole area available 24 hours a day.

Annette’s most unusual case to date though, is the local duck which has grown attached to her pet terrier, Skip.

She said: “The funniest or rather the most bizarre story is the wild mallard which I have raised from a day old chick with the full intention or returning to the wild.

“It now thinks it is a dog and has taken up residence in my dogs’ pet bed. It also follows my two dogs around and pecks at their ears, which in itself is rather ‘peckarious’ as one dog is a mean little terrier. The female mallard also pecks at the door to come into the house and goes to sleep with the dogs. It seems to have fallen in love with Skip.”

She said the unpredictable weather over the summer had already led to a number of patients: “Over the past few weeks, following torrential rain and adverse weather conditions, I have been contacted by many worried residents in the Selby area. They’ve had a variety of wildlife concerns, ranging from baby hedgehogs, alone and starving found wandering about in daylight, to cat attack on baby birds, a gardener’s spade killing a field mouse mum leaving two tiny baby orphans and even a swift chick being blown out of its nest.”

Annette, who will attend wildlife first aid courses in Gloucester and Somerset in the next few months to further qualify herself for the role, encouraged anyone with queries or concerns about local wildlife issues to phone her on 01757 290459, or 07803 180720, visit selbywildlife.co.uk or email selbywildlife@aol.com