3 good reasons not to buy down: Thelma, Louise & Howard

Thelma, Louise & Howard are my three precious Pekin ducks rescued from two Central N.J. ponds. FYI: Those white ducks or white geese you see swimming at local waterways are domestic birds abandoned there by thoughtless people. These birds usually starve, get hit by cars or are picked of by predators. Actually, there are plenty of other kinds of domestic ducks & geese dumped at ponds as well but they look like wild birds to you. Pekins are the most obvious & they definitely can’t fly or fend for themselves.
Howard was found with his left leg broken in 5 places yet he miraculously healed after 2 surgeries & now walks with an exaggerated gait. Both Thelma & Louise were found bald, bedraggled & thin having been raped repeatedly by a gang of domestic (dumped) male ducks. One of Louise’s webbed feet is permanently damaged however she can now walk & support her weight.

All three ducks live The Good Life with me & are sheer delights though I have to admit they are quite messy & a lot of work. They love to swim, play & preen themselves. The girls are still enthusiastically laying eggs. Not usual duck habit for the winter.

Why am I telling you about Thelma, Louise & Howard? Because ducks just like them are dying in order to make the winter jackets, vests, pillows & comforters you might purchase. I am asking you to please re-think buying anything made from down or feathers. Pekin ducks (and domestic geese) are savagely plucked for their feathers & soft down till they are naked & bleeding. After such brutal treatment these sweet birds are exposed to the cold & then sicken & die. If by chance they do survive, it is only till their feathers grow in. They are subjected to the plucking process over & over again until they are spent & expire.

Ducks & geese need their down & feathers more than you do. You can easily buy beautiful man/human-made fiber filled jackets, comforters & pillows. Items made without down or feathers can be machine washed at home & are often less expensive. Check labels when you buy clothes. If you can still stay toasty warm, diminish suffering, save money & not expose yourself to dangerous dry cleaning fluids, why not buy human-made/synthetic fiber-filled garments & bedding ? My 3 “Quackers” will thank you for it.

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