Ducklings stolen from momma

[sweetcaroline]

Hi
Today a lady drove up in her car at my neighbors house and stole four one week old baby ducklings from their mother, she tried to take all nine before my neighbor caught her and confronted her, she said she was saving them from the turtles at the lake. My neighbor tried to get them from her backseat but she threatened her, my neighbor backed off and she sped off. She did get her license plate number. I'm afraid she will come back for the other five. I called police, animal control but they don't do anything. I feel so bad for those babies and the momma, she was showing them off to the neighborhood so proudly. Is this illegal?is there anything I could do? Makes me so sad and angry at this heartless person!

 

[TSW99]

I'm not much help because I don't if it's legal, but can't see it being legal.
But must add that's terrible what kind of person does that sort of thing?

 

[Amykins]

Yeah, put out the license plate number and try to track the person down. Get motion-triggered floodlights and a shotgun, and wait for her to just try it again. What she did is incorrigible, and I fear for those babies because someone crazy enough to do something so reckless is not going to take good care of those babies!


Edited by Staff

 

[enriquec]

If it were me, I'd network til I found the right dmv or law enforcement person to pull up her address and show up with a rowdy crowd, one person knocks on door, demands ducks or answers. Ten seconds, make a judgement call. Maybe bust in the house or start breaking some car windows.

Note: I've never actually had to escalate anything like that. I prepare occasionally, but people are sensible. Sometimes they change your prospective.

You could also white pages her number and try a convo first. Maybe impersonate someone serious.

You could also do tons of bad stuff with address or phone number. Also report plate to police for other activities, from more duck napping to illegal er activities.

Making some calls to more organizations may help, like fish & wild life etc. Local news would might enjoy it as well

Again, I suspect it can be handled much better in one convo. Reading your post, she seems bad and unreasonable, but there's always two sides. It's rare for someone to actually be a stereotypical bad guy.


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[Twistedfeather]

Wow, I didn't know turtles were carnivorous (unless they were snapping turtles). Another question I would have to her story is why are the ducklings in the pond when they haven't developed their oil glands, and why did she walk into the lake?

This was a case of human predation, except for the fact that the duckling weren't killed which in normal human predation to poultry and other animals, they're normally killed on purpose. In this case it was taken. I was reading an article about this and the people were successfully. I know you actually contact the police about it or were you just complaining about animal control. There's a national law about stealing livestock but it doesn't include poultry. I would talk to your local police station or look up the laws in your state. Also if your neighbor can I would fortify and protect the rest of the ducklings,

Sorry about that it probably sucks, what breed were they?

 

[Amykins]

It depends on the turtle; most are omnivorous, opportunistic feeders like red-ear sliders, while some are strictly carnivorous, like snapping turtles. As for being on the lake, mama duck will oil up her babies until their own glands kick in. Either way, her excuse is flimsy as heck and I think she just wanted some babies to nurture and take care of. She sounds like one of those crackpots that would stalk a pregnant woman and try to steal her infant.

Sorry, I know I'm pre-judging her MASSIVELY, but what else am I supposed to think? If I caught someone trying to steal my Wobbles and she pealed out of my driveway I'd run to my own car, chase her down, ram her, sideswipe her, trash my own car in the attempt to disable her own vehicle, I don't care, whatever it would take to get him back!

(note: obviously I'm not saying that's what you should have done. Wobs is my little houseduck baby and that's seriously how far I'd go to protect him! I can't have kids, so he's sort of...yeah...)

 

[sweetcaroline]

Thank you everyone for your advice.
These are Muscovy ducklings and the mother had barely just got them out of the nest.
She hadn't even attempted on taking them over the lake yet. My neighbor tried to get this lady to stop and give them back but she became aggressive, she said she does this all the time and she would release them in two weeks. I did in fact call 311 and tried to report this but they directed me to animal control, animal control said to contact hoa because they own the ducks in this community, but I fear they could care less as well. I wish I new a police officer.
Momma back in her nest with her five
Very traumatized I'm sure

 

[Amykins]

She can't just RELEASE them after two weeks, is she nuts?! The mother may not even take them back after that long and with no one to care for them, and having already imprinted on mama duck they're going to be stressed and frightened. If they survive those two weeks they'll be worse off for it, they won't be anywhere near able to care for themselves!

I'm mad that animal control won't do a single thing. Even here in Seattle I'm stunned at how many cases of blatant animal abuse go uninvestigated. I've reported a guy who beat his dog and kept him tied in his truck 24/7 with no shelter, food or water, and the local ASPCA just shrugged their shoulders and said there was nothing they could do. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

 

[sweetcaroline]

I know they won't survive in her care so i fear she won't be releasing them. Today those nine ducklings sat tucked and warm under their mommas wings but now who knows where they are, what is wrong with people! This is animal abuse and shame on them for not responding! If this lady had tried this in my front yard things would have been different but my neighbor was afraid of her. I'm going to contact more organizations and even the news, we have her license plate somebody must be able to do something. It's so hard living in a HoA
They don't really do much for the protection of our waterfowl.

 

[enriquec]

What's the state and license plate?

Remember people, innocent until proven guilt. It *sound* like, well, you know. But she deserves the opportunity to explain herself.. Maybe @sweetcaroline is the crazy beach. Or never saw anything, but believed crazy a$ b's story.

Also County please.