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Deputy rescues a dozen ducklings while anxious mama duck looks on

Posted at 6:21 AM, Apr 25, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-25 08:54:26-04
Courtesy: Amanda Brooke Larson-Olsen

Courtesy: Amanda Brooke Larson-Olsen

HOLLAND, Mich. — A heart-warming story is starting to circulate around Ottawa County, thanks to some photos posted to Facebook over the weekend.

It began with a visitor post on Downtown Holland’s official Facebook page.  Amanda Brooke Larson-Olsen shared a photograph showing an Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputy reaching into a storm drain, with a cardboard box next to him while a duck waits nearby.

“A local sheriff went above and beyond today to save a family,” said Amanda in the post. “My family and I were pulling out of McDonald’s on Riley st and saw a momma duck circling a storm drain so I made my husband back up and so I could check it out. There were 12 baby ducks.”

Larson-Olsen posted a follow-up photograph in the comments, showing the rescued ducklings all in the box.

Courtesy: Amanda Brooke Larson-Olsen

Courtesy: Amanda Brooke Larson-Olsen

We called Ottawa County dispatch to see if they knew anything about the situation.  Sure enough, over the weekend, they received a call from someone reporting a family of ducks in the road and the caller was concerned for their safety.  Deputy Tony Boersema responded and ended up finding the worried mother duck.  From there, the rescue effort began, and culminated with a picture-perfect ending. The ducks were reunited with their mama.

At last check, Larson-Olsen’s post has gotten more than a thousand ‘Likes’ and has been shared hundreds of times.