Public Relations

Repairing ‘Daisy’ Mallard’s broken leg

Editor's Note: On June 3, 2011, Daisy and her ducklings were transported to Atlanta and released at the pond where they live on the grounds of The Lovett School. The Mallard family's time at the UGA Wildlife Treatment Center totaled nine weeks and included care from multiple veterinary specialists and 16 students from the college's Wildlife Treatment Crew.

Daisy's post-surgical care included weeks of daily physical therapy and medication; she and her ducklings have been fed, cleaned and swum twice a day. "This is not an easy job, and I think these animals have really helped the UGA students learn about waterfowl care-taking and medicine," noted Dr. Joerg Mayer, an associate professor of zoological and exotics animal medicine at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine. Daisy's care, which totaled more than $2,000, was paid for by private donations. If you'd like to make a donation to the Kate Grant Wildlife Fund, follow the instructions further down on this page.

April 2011

Athens, Ga. — “Daisy” Mallard suffered a broken leg when she tried to protect her ducklings from an aggressive goose that had drowned one member of Daisy’s brood. The incident took place at a pond on the grounds of The Lovett School in Atlanta.

The mother of a student was pulling in to the school about the time the attack was ending. With the help of Lovett staff, Mrs. Keira Camillo collected Daisy and the nine surviving ducklings and took them to her home where they would be safe, and so that she could seek medical treatment for Daisy.

By Monday, April 4, 2011, the Mallard family arrived in Athens to be evaluated and treated by the faculty, staff and students who work at the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Wildlife Treatment Center.

While the ducklings were fine, Daisy’s leg required surgery. She is now recovering in the Exotics ward of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital. While Daisy must be confined, so that she doesn’t do further injury to her leg, her nine ducklings are with her and have access to visit her through a small hole that our students cut into a cat crate. The ducklings also have a small “pond” nearby!

Our veterinary students who worked on Daisy’s case prepared a PowerPoint presentation about Daisy’s surgery and her temporary home, so that the Lovett students could see the presentation and be assured that Daisy was receiving good care and recovering well.

The medical care provided to wildlife brought in to our Wildlife Treatment Center is paid for by donations to the Kate Grant Wildlife Fund, and the generous donations of Good Samaritans, like Mrs. Camillo. If you’d like to make a gift to this fund, you may make a secure gift online or you may mail a check to:

The University of Georgia
College of Veterinary Medicine
Office of Development
Athens, GA 30602-7371

Please make checks payable to Arch Foundation/Kate Grant Wildlife Fund.

You may also contact our Development office directly by calling 706.542.1807 or emailing give2vet@uga.edu.

View a PowerPoint presentation explaining Daisy’s procedure, as well as a photo slideshow prepared by our College’s Web Manager, Sue Myers Smith. The images from the slideshow were taken by Sue, who has a background in photojournalism, and Chris Herron, who is a photographer from the College’s Educational Resources Center.

Public Relations

Repairing ‘Daisy’ Mallard’s broken leg

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