Humane Long Island, an animal rescue and advocacy organization from New York, honored Weber County’s Adison Smith with the “Duck Defender Award.”
The honor was bestowed on Smith after she dedicated two years of her life to saving and caring for abandoned ducks, having rescued more than 400 fowl from Utah ponds and lakes. Many of the animals rescued by Smith were likely domesticated pets that had been abandoned and don’t have the ability to fly, plus they lack survival instincts that would keep them alive in the wild.
Smith is a co-founder of Wasatch Wanderers, a rescue organization that has been rehoming hundreds of ducks and geese over the past few years. She has also worked with local governments to install signs near ponds warning people that it’s illegal to abandon waterfowl.
After earning this very special award, Smith hopes that her work can be an example for others who have autism, just like herself. She hopes that the work she puts into this cause will help end stigmas surrounding autism and that others can show the world that they can do whatever they put their mind to.
As a side note, with Easter right around the corner, Smith is encouraging everyone to think about what is in the best interest of their family before making the decision to adopt an animal, particularly ducks and geese and for those who can no longer care for them, they should contact a rescue organization.
