Dumping ducks, any laws against it?

[needlessjunk]

I never knew that there were domestic ducks and wild ducks until I started doing research. I now know how horrible it is to just dump them at the local ponds and I'm surprised at how many there are at one near by that are domestic breeds! The whole population is pretty much made up of domestic breeds. Anyway I'm trying to educate people and I was wondering if there are any laws that prohibit the dumping of domestic ducks. I'm getting push back from my mom who views golf courses and cemeteries with ponds as safe and not wild. I also just found out that she released 3 geese to a local cemetery when I was a baby and they lived their for years because we would go back each week to feed them bread. She feels since they lived others would too.

 

[dotporter]

Actually, golf courses and cemeteries often stock domestic breeds intentionally for the aesthetic appeal they provide. Many times the groundskeeper is tasked with general care of these birds, so you might want to check.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I never knew that there were domestic ducks and wild ducks until I started doing research. I now know how horrible it is to just dump them at the local ponds and I'm surprised at how many there are at one near by that are domestic breeds! The whole population is pretty much made up of domestic breeds. Anyway I'm trying to educate people and I was wondering if there are any laws that prohibit the dumping of domestic ducks. I'm getting push back from my mom who views golf courses and cemeteries with ponds as safe and not wild. I also just found out that she released 3 geese to a local cemetery when I was a baby and they lived their for years because we would go back each week to feed them bread. She feels since they lived others would too.

Expecting domestic water fowl to be able to fend for themselves is a myth, most that have been raised by humans and Depend on us to feed and care for them have no idea how to do this on their own. But it does make the dumptee feel better about dumping, I know of no specific laws but I would think if a grounds keeper was to come up to someone who was in the process of dumping their unwanted ducks or geese or rabbits etc. they may get in serious trouble. Talk to those who frequent lakes ponds etc where the public bring junk food to feed the wild ducks and geese and most don't know wild from domestic and you will see un healthy birds, some with angel wing which is pretty much probably a killer for a wild ducks or goose to have since they can't migrate with their flocks. Then when lakes and city parks ponds get over populated with dumped water fowl they may do what Ocala Did some years ago and kill all the Muscovy's that were in their parks pond. Maybe even the other domestics too. Feeding bread maybe fun to those feeding it but it is not a good diet for the birds. and most have to live off off that kind of food plus all the other junk food thrown at them because most likely any natural food has vanished with so many water fowl going after it. Then you have the domestics and wild pop breeding which isn't good either. What your mom did was in ignorance [ands i'm not saying she is ignorant] I'm saying it's such an accepted way that most would say it's okay to dump a duck or goose once they tire of it or can't give it the kind of care it needs. To me it's no different than taking a cat or dog off on some lonely road and dumping it out.

 

[dotporter]

Ya, what Miss Lydia said. I just meant that before calling the DNR or anything, not all domestic birds at local ponds are drop offs. They may actually be owned and cared for. Especially those at cemeteries and golf courses. However, I do disagree with such places using domestic ducks as ornaments, especially here in Michigan where minimal care and harsh winters are a death sentence for many of those birds.

 

[needlessjunk]

I'm all with y'all that it is totally irresponsible to think that way. But if one person, my mom for example, thinks that then she is not the only one. The ones she dumped off happened over 28 years ago but there is still that mentality. I was wondering if there is any legal action to use to help sway people that it isn't okay to just dump ducks and "let them live" could get them fined or whatnot.

 

[Amykins]

There certainly are laws against it, as there are for removing wildlife from its natural habitat, but sadly they're rarely enforced. :/ It's quite depressing. You can't just dump off a lapdog into a forest and expect it to immediately turn feral and fend for itself, why would anyone assume the same for ducks? It's cruel, and I for one can't understand why people think it's ok.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm all with y'all that it is totally irresponsible to think that way. But if one person, my mom for example, thinks that then she is not the only one. The ones she dumped off happened over 28 years ago but there is still that mentality. I was wondering if there is any legal action to use to help sway people that it isn't okay to just dump ducks and "let them live" could get them fined or whatnot.

I'd check into your states laws or city or town ordinances
About 2 years ago the paper in the largest city to us did an article about a young girl and her family who every Easter they would buy her a duckling and then once they got around 6 months old they would take them to the river and let them go. I was appalled that they would make it sound so natural. They had done this many years and then they said that she is now in high school and hasn't time to spend with her duck she has now a Indian Runner and they were thinking of taking it to the local pond. I sure hope someone who lived there jumped on them about this outrageous thing they were going to do.I am sure there are many who would have adopted that duck.

Amiga encouraged us the last 2 years to write to our local paper during Easter season and ask people to please be more responsible about buying animals and giving them as Easter gifts to think about if they are ready for a long term commitment that it takes when buying an animal whether a duck/goose or bunny I wrote a letter to our editor and was grateful that she emailed me back and thanked me for writing it.

Maybe you'll have an impact on others your mom included and can make a difference. There is a member on here named Kalisti who has formed a group who works with the city council where she lives to make life better for the waterfowl that live in the lake there. Many domestic.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I'd check into your states laws or city or town ordinances
About 2 years ago the paper in the largest city to us did an article about a young girl and her family who every Easter they would buy her a duckling and then once they got around 6 months old they would take them to the river and let them go. I was appalled that they would make it sound so natural. They had done this many years and then they said that she is now in high school and hasn't time to spend with her duck she has now a Indian Runner and they were thinking of taking it to the local pond. I sure hope someone who lived there jumped on them about this outrageous thing they were going to do.I am sure there are many who would have adopted that duck.

Amiga encouraged us the last 2 years to write to our local paper during Easter season and ask people to please be more responsible about buying animals and giving them as Easter gifts to think about if they are ready for a long term commitment that it takes when buying an animal whether a duck/goose or bunny I wrote a letter to our editor and was grateful that she emailed me back and thanked me for writing it.

Maybe you'll have an impact on others your mom included and can make a difference. There is a member on here named Kalisti who has formed a group who works with the city council where she lives to make life better for the waterfowl that live in the lake there. Many domestic.

Letters to the editor around that time are a fabulous idea! I'm going to put a reminder on my calendar to do that next year. Is there a standard letter or template you've been using, or should we all write letters in our own words? I definitely want to participate either way.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Letters to the editor around that time are a fabulous idea! I'm going to put a reminder on my calendar to do that next year. Is there a standard letter or template you've been using, or should we all write letters in our own words? I definitely want to participate either way.

I used the letter Amiga posted and then added my own words to it. I'm sure she'll remind us all next year to write. I was surprised I got the email from the editor or our local paper but very pleased that she did, I just hope it got people to thinking.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I'm all with y'all that it is totally irresponsible to think that way. But if one person, my mom for example, thinks that then she is not the only one. The ones she dumped off happened over 28 years ago but there is still that mentality. I was wondering if there is any legal action to use to help sway people that it isn't okay to just dump ducks and "let them live" could get them fined or whatnot.

Every locality I've ever investigated on this topic has statutes or regulations against it, but that doesn't mean all do at that level. In some states, there are regulations at the state level, and many also have them at the county or township level, which means someone could potentially be subject to multiple fines by different agencies for the same infraction. If I'm not mistaken, there's also a federal law prohibiting this issued by the US Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. I'll try to dig up the specifics of that later today if I get time.

I think your best bet would would to contact the law enforcement branch of the Texas Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. They'll be able to tell you if there's anything governing it at that level, and they might also be able to give you the federal statute number. If they give you the federal reference, would you mind posting it here if you find it before I have time to research it?