MINERAL BLUFF, Ga. — In the north Georgia mountains, Julie Wootten has turned her backyard into a sanctuary for thousands of rescued ducks.

Wootten runs Waddle On Inn Rescue, a domestic waterfowl nonprofit that takes in abandoned, injured and surrendered birds from across Georgia and beyond. What started as a small idea has grown into the busiest year in the rescue's history.

"When I moved to Georgia, we didn't know there was such a need," Wootten said. "I thought it was going to be small, but once our name got out there, the calls just kept coming and kept coming."

Since January 1, the rescue has taken in almost 4,000 ducks, according to Wootten.

"We take in dumped, injured, abandoned, owner surrenders if we have to," she said. "We get them vetted, we get them rehabbed, we adopt them

See Full Page