A duck that was rescued by a man as a duckling has forged an extraordinary bond with his new ‘dad’ and returns to him at the end of every day.

As Steven Thibeault from Nahant, Massachusetts, explained in an interview with The Dodo, he first came across Cheerio when the animal was just a little duckling struggling to survive on its own.

After rescuing and caring for the duck, Steven and Cheerio became best friends, and while the man knew he was supposed to return the animal into the wild one day, the duck refused to leave his side.

Once Cheerio has grown up, he has begun visiting the ocean during the day, while Steven’s working, to play and bond with wild ducks.

As his owner explained, however, the duck always returns to him at the end of the day.

“He is pretty much on my schedule so we come to work, he spends most of the day outside and after work we go home,” the duck rescuer said in an interview with The Dodo.

“He does have a social life, he has spent time with other ducks which makes me happy, but at the end of the day he chooses me. That could change one day but that’s up to him.”

As Steven explained, it is up to Cheerio when he wants to leave home or visit him since he lives close to the ocean and commuting doesn’t present a problem for the duck.

“He gets along great with other ducks, especially males. He is a little shy when it comes to the ladies at this point in his life but hopefully that will change,” Steven told The Dodo.

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