Small-town friendships last forever. Friendships even cross species lines with a duck and a dog that go everywhere together.
The unlikely pairing of a 12-year-old Malamute named Max and a 4-year-old duck named Quackers is a tale that will warm your heart.
After losing his friend Sasha, a husky who lived with Max's owners, the Rileys, Max was alone. However, when the Rileys welcomed some newborn ducklings into their lives, Max met Quackers, who also suffered a loss.
"He was without any friends," Patrick Riley said in an interview with WCCO CBS Minnesota. "And so Max would sit next to his pen all the time, and I think they just kind of bonded that way. After we let them out, they just never left each other's side."
What is a dog and a duck's favorite thing to do together to pass the time? Walking side-by-side through their tiny, 25-person town of Strout, Minnesota, and sitting alongside the highway in their favorite patch of grass.
"...they eat together, they drink together, they go for walks together down the road," explains Kristen Riley. "Everything is together."
Kristen Riley also said that ducks have been known to pick a companion, and once they do, they have them for life. As the two animals get on in years, they have each other for company and comfort.
Residents know to look out for the duo, and some have said they hope to catch a glimpse of the inseparable pair while out and about, as it's always a sure way to brighten up any day.
This post was originally published on November 4, 2017.
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