A DOG and a duck walk into a cafe.
There’s no punchline because it isn’t a joke – new Broken Hill residents Natasha and Rodney walk their duck and dog down Oxide Street each morning to get coffee at Giovanni’s.
Natasha said the reason for adopting duck Wanderer was as a companion for dog Star, who had recently lost her best friend.
“We just lost our staffy and Star was very antsy and sad,” Natasha said.
Wanderer is about six weeks old now, but the couple adopted her at a few days old, so she’s only ever learned anything from big sister Star, a Jack Russel Chihuahua cross.
“She thinks she’s a dog,” Rodney said.
“When Star chases a stick, Wanderer chases it too. The other day Star was chewing on a stick so Wanderer got her own stick and chewed on it. She rules the roost though and can steal the big bones off Star.”
Natasha said that the pair are able to walk off leash, and Wanderer has never tried to run or fly away.
“She’s never wandered off or flown away, she’s always just followed the dog.”
When moving from the coast to Broken Hill, Natasha and Rodney said they had to sneak the dog and duck into motels with them.
“Every time the duck was loud, we said you better watch it or you’ll go in the frypan, and she’ll be quiet,” Rodney said.
“I used to love duck at Chinese restaurants and now I can’t eat duck; I’m filthy on it.”
At home, Wanderer enjoys swimming in the bath, the pair said, and both Star and Wanderer sleep in the bed at night.
Rodney said Star has become a mother figure to Wanderer.
“In the morning, the two of them lie out in the front yard in the sun together,” he said.
“Star thinks she’s Wanderers mum, if she hears her make a strange noise she’ll put her head up and see what’s wrong, and she’ll let her eat first too.”
Natasha said the two of them bring joy everywhere they go.
“It takes us longer than usual to get anywhere because everyone just stops to pat the duck and dog,” she said.
“They’re like my therapy animals, I figure if they make everybody else smile, they’ve done their job well.”
