Gertrude, a friendly, white Pekin crested duck with a hairdo that would make Elvis jealous, calmly rides through the Concordia Lutheran Health and Human Care Lund Building in a stroller pushed by her owner, Holly Taylor Mead, of Jefferson Township.

Gertrude’s protruding poofy ‘do draws wide smiles from patients, visitors and staff alike.

Mead explained to two groups of patients on different floors where she took Gertrude to visit, that the large white duck is 6 and a half years old and was the therapy animal of her late father, Ernie Taylor, while he battled cancer.

Gertrude was purchased at Rural King by Mead when she was just a few days old, but the domestic duck took a shine to Ernie Taylor.

“She followed him everywhere,” Mead said of Gertrude and her father, who died a year ago. “He would hold her and pet her and play music for her.”

She brings Gertrude to the Concordia campus in Winfield Township once per month to interact with residents, who stroke the lovable Anatidae and ask questions about her.

“She made such a difference for Dad,” Mead said. “Once he passed away, I didn’t want that to end.”

When Gertrude is holding court in her stroller among the seniors at Concordia, staff members also migrate to the area to view the unusual bird.

“They really love animals,” said Carolyn Piskor, activities director for skilled nursing. “Who gets to see a duck in a stroller?”

Piskor said Gertrude transports residents from their current mental state to a place of whimsy.

“When Holly is done and they leave, the residents still have smiles on their faces,” she said.

Resident Chuck Laska was very interested in Gertrude and her unique updo.

“It’s not funny,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

Susie Snyder, also a resident at Concordia, loved the way Gertrude enjoys human contact and attention.

“I think she’s great,” Snyder said. “It’s interesting to see something different.”

Mead told the residents and staff that Gertrude despises duck feed, so she is fed mainly fruits and vegetables. But her diet also deviates from human foods.

“Since it was raining this morning, I got her a smorgasbord of worms,” she said.

She said while a duck Gertrude’s size normally has a lifespan of 8 to 10 years, a friend has a domestic duck that is 27.

Mead also explained that she makes reusable diapers for Gertrude so she can live inside Mead’s home instead of outside with her 90 chickens, ducks, turkey and geese.

“I learned to sew so I could make duck diapers,” Mead said with a roll of the eyes.

“We like to have exciting activities for (the residents) that are outside the box,” said Karen Beilstein, skilled nursing administrator. “And we love Gertrude’s style.”

Resident Martha Soroka appreciated the visit from Mead and Gertrude.

“Anytime you see any type of animal, it makes your day much better,” she said. “I love that she let me pet her. She’s so nice and fluffy.”

Mead loves her menagerie of fowl friends, but when a Pekin duck with a deformed leg was given to her in poor health, she knew she didn’t have the wherewithal to save the pathetic specimen.

She immediately called Jessica Poutous, who owns J&J Farms Animal Sanctuary in Clinton Township with her husband, Jesse Blake.

Poutous accepted “Hank” and immediately started an IV to hydrate him.

Hank, whose deformity is due to a diet lacking in niacin when he was a duckling, is on his second wheelchair adapted to accommodate his bad leg, which turns the wrong way.

Hank is almost as well-known in the Saxonburg community as Gertrude.

“We take him to Mingle on Main and people are like ‘Hey, Hank!’” Blake said. “He goes to trivia night at the Saxonburg fire hall on Thursday nights, too.”

“He never knows any answers,” Poutous said.

The couple has about 100 rescue animals, including chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, dogs, cats and four Belgian draft horses that were former Amish workhorses.

They most recently received a U.S. Department of Agriculture license to raise honeybees and sell honey.

All of the bees in the farm’s 37 hives were rescued.

“We went to Knoch High School and got some out of a tree there,” Blake said.

He learned the hard way that honeybees despise flowery cologne or perfume.

“Something in it just makes them want to attack,” he said.

The couple is thrilled to be raising bees, which are vital to the survival of the planet.

“One out of every three bites of food you take is thanks to honeybees,” Poutous said.

They bought the 10-acre farm in 2014 and began rescuing animals immediately, paying vet, feed and other expenses out of their own pockets.

“We took the hard cases,” Poutous said. “We just started doing this out of necessity because there is a niche not being fulfilled.”

The operation continued with Blake and Poutous paying for everything until the coronavirus pandemic, when a 50-pound bag of feed shot from $7.99 to $20.

“That’s just not sustainable,” Poutous said.

Wondering how other animal rescues were making ends meet, she went online to view the rescues she followed to find they are nonprofit entities that raise funds and accept donations for their animals’ care.

“I bought the book ‘Nonprofits for Dummies,’” Poutous said.

She turned in the necessary government documentation and J&J Farms became an official nonprofit in 2021.

They hold fundraisers and raise awareness about their sanctuary at local events.

“We have over 100 animals in our care, and that takes money and help,” Poutous said.

J&J Farms fundraisers, both completed and upcoming, include a murder mystery dinner at the Saxonburg fire hall, a Plant ’n Sip, and upcoming craft projects held every three weeks at the farm.

Whether mucking stalls, feeding ducks or planning events, the J&J Farms operation is way more than two people could handle.

More than 30 volunteers share their time and talent at the farm year ‘round.

George Seibel, of Oakland Township, has volunteered at the animal sanctuary three to four days per week for about 5 months, usually in the horse barn.

“I’m a huge horse fanatic and I love working with them, Seibel said.

He also appreciates the atmosphere created at the farm by Poutous and Blake.

“It’s very relaxed,” Seibel said. “Jesse and Jessica are super nice and really kind.”

His next project is learning to care for the bees and harvest and bottle their honey.

Kelsey Forrest, of Lawrence County, has served as a volunteer at the farm for almost one year.

Forrest messaged Poutous on social media to ask questions about opening her own rescue facility, which — under her new friend’s guidance — she opened in November.

“Jess is my mentor,” Forrest said. “She helped me with all the logistics of starting my own rescue.”

Forrest’s rescue is for small animals, like mice, guinea pigs, fish and bunnies.

Emily Green, volunteer coordinator at J&J Farms Animal Sanctuary, made a comment that is music to the ears of all who care for abused, neglected or special needs animals.

“Almost none of these animals would be alive if they were not here at this farm,” Green said.

More information on the animal sanctuary, plus opportunities to donate, are available at jandjfarmsanimalsanctuary.org or by searching the farm on Facebook. Checks can be sent to J&J Farms Animal Sanctuary, 939 Ekastown Road, Saxonburg, PA 16056.