Our Team

The Muscovy Sanctuary of Florida was born out of necessity through the efforts of Gail Dixon and Melissa Carlson, but it consists of people all the way from Land o’ Lakes to Myakka who have been willing to take in the orphaned Muscovy ducklings over the last two years. We’ve raised the babies in our homes then taken them to their forever homes with people willing to keep them. The network of volunteers has grown over the years, and it continues to gain footing as ducklings continue to appear in the vets’ offices and along the paths of Tampa Bay citizens who care enough to catch them.

We have a goal to create one location where all of the Muscovy ducklings found in the Tampa Bay area will go to grow and live. A place where they’ll be free of the dangers that Muscovies face all around the state of Florida. Once we have that property, the need for volunteers will go from an area-wide network to a centralized network. The work will still be just as enjoyable, but it will all be in one location, making it easier for volunteers to help each other. The best part will be that we’ll be able to gain the joy of making the ducklings a part of the Sanctuary’s family, and volunteers who help to raise them will get to see them regularly once they’re grown. Gone will be the days of having to turn their care over to strangers never to be seen again.

Until the day when that goal becomes a reality, we’ll continue to raise the ducklings in our homes with the hope of finding caring people who are able and willing to take them in once they’re grown. If you’d like to fill either of those roles, please contact us. We’ll be happy to do everything we can to help you help the ducklings.