Dumping ducks, any laws against it?

[JadeComputerGal]

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.

Thank you, Miss Lydia, that would be great. I guess there goes my great relationship with our local farm and feed store. Oh well.

 

[livininbrazil]

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.

Yes, I haven´t seen anything of @Kalsti recently, but she´d be a good one to advise as she´s had experience along these lines.
And fancy loosing an Indian Runner! No chance of survival. At least ducks like muscovies can fend for themselves a bit, but an Indian Runner...... ???????

 

[needlessjunk]

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.

I never though about the local paper but that is a good idea and I will do that come spring. It drives me nuts that people buy chicks and ducks for presents. Don't even get me started on the dogs and cats for Christmas.

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?

If I get a chance to research it I will but right now I have zero free time. School is killing me this semester and I can't really look things up in detail while my kids are up. Kids are really cramping my style right

 

[Miss Lydia]

I never though about the local paper but that is a good idea and I will do that come spring. It drives me nuts that people buy chicks and ducks for presents. Don't even get me started on the dogs and cats for Christmas.
If I get a chance to research it I will but right now I have zero free time. School is killing me this semester and I can't really look things up in detail while my kids are up. Kids are really cramping my style right

Ducks are not though right? lol

 

[allergymama]

Was that letter here? I would be interested in sending to my local paper, too. I tried searching but haven't managed to find it. Miss Lydia, can you let me know how to find the letter or a link? Thanks!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Was that letter here? I would be interested in sending to my local paper, too. I tried searching but haven't managed to find it. Miss Lydia, can you let me know how to find the letter or a link? Thanks!!

I asked Amiga to answer since I am pretty sure she did post the original on here.

 

[livininbrazil]

Ducks are not though right? lol

 

[Amiga]

Hi, y'all, here is the letter I wrote in 2012. Feel free to lift anything from it that you feel will help. I am finding that while I feel awful things at the thought of dumping, that human beings respond to someone they feel understands them, and cares for them. And then there are some folks who are just so obstinate!

So take the approach that you know in your heart is right for you and your situation. Reminding people before the fact may be more effective. At least that is my feeling. Okay - on to the letter!

Suggested title: Don’t Dump Them!

Spring is coming! And among the dreams and temptations, perhaps more for those with children, will come the appeal of precious little chicks and ducklings and bunnies (a.k.a. kits).

I simply want to ask everyone to decide against getting any of these little critters if your plan is to release them to public fields, ponds or forests when they are grown, when you become overwhelmed with their care, the family tires of them, or they aren’t cute anymore.

Releasing pets is cruel, whether that is the intention or not. Those who try to help such released former pets use different words – abandonment or dumping.

Domestic animals are not equipped to protect or feed themselves. Sometimes they die quickly when they fall prey to other animals. Sometimes they slowly starve or freeze to death. Sometimes they die in agony from the infections that arise from injury or disease. It is awful to even contemplate.

If you want to have some of these small animals as pets, for their sake and yours, do a little homework before you take them home. Be sure you can handle their care, from the day they arrive through their adult lives. There are resources online, in print, and in the form of local individuals and organizations experienced with animal care.

Another option is to adopt rescued animals. They were raised as pets and then dumped. They could surely use a decent home where they are well cared for.

Springtime, for many, is a season for celebrating new life, redemption, and care for one another. Please don’t bring home any cute little fuzzy, feathered, furry “babies” only to abandon them to a cruel fate. That’s not what this season is about.

 

[needlessjunk]

Ducks are not though right? lol

lol!

Hi, y'all, here is the letter I wrote in 2012.  Feel free to lift anything from it that you feel will help.  I am finding that while I feel awful things at the thought of dumping, that human beings respond to someone they feel understands them, and cares for them.  And then there are some folks who are just so obstinate!    So take the approach that you know in your heart is right for you and your situation.  Reminding people before the fact may be more effective.  At least that is my feeling.  Okay - on to the letter!

Suggested title:  Don’t Dump Them!

Spring is coming!  And among the dreams and temptations, perhaps more for those with children, will come the appeal of precious little chicks and ducklings and bunnies (a.k.a. kits).

I simply want to ask everyone to decide against getting any of these little critters if your plan is to release them to public fields, ponds or forests when they are grown, when you become overwhelmed with their care, the family tires of them, or they aren’t cute anymore.

Releasing pets is cruel, whether that is the intention or not.  Those who try to help such released former pets use different words – abandonment or dumping.

Domestic animals are not equipped to protect or feed themselves.  Sometimes they die quickly when they fall prey to other animals.  Sometimes they slowly starve or freeze to death.  Sometimes they die in agony from the infections that arise from injury or disease.  It is awful to even contemplate.

If you want to have some of these small animals as pets, for their sake and yours, do a little homework before you take them home.  Be sure you can handle their care, from the day they arrive through their adult lives.  There are resources online, in print, and in the form of local individuals and organizations experienced with animal care.

Another option is to adopt rescued animals.  They were raised as pets and then dumped.  They could surely use a decent home where they are well cared for.

Springtime, for many, is a season for celebrating new life, redemption, and care for one another.  Please don’t bring home any cute little fuzzy, feathered, furry “babies” only to abandon them to a cruel fate.  That’s not what this season is about.

Than you for sharing that. I know my feed stores also have bulletins and I think come spring I will post on there to some rescue groups. My hope is that someone will see it when the came back to buy food and realize that there are resources other than releasing them in the local ponds.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

Hi, y'all, here is the letter I wrote in 2012. Feel free to lift anything from it that you feel will help. I am finding that while I feel awful things at the thought of dumping, that human beings respond to someone they feel understands them, and cares for them. And then there are some folks who are just so obstinate!

So take the approach that you know in your heart is right for you and your situation. Reminding people before the fact may be more effective. At least that is my feeling. Okay - on to the letter!

Suggested title: Don’t Dump Them!

Spring is coming! And among the dreams and temptations, perhaps more for those with children, will come the appeal of precious little chicks and ducklings and bunnies (a.k.a. kits).

I simply want to ask everyone to decide against getting any of these little critters if your plan is to release them to public fields, ponds or forests when they are grown, when you become overwhelmed with their care, the family tires of them, or they aren’t cute anymore.

Releasing pets is cruel, whether that is the intention or not. Those who try to help such released former pets use different words – abandonment or dumping.

Domestic animals are not equipped to protect or feed themselves. Sometimes they die quickly when they fall prey to other animals. Sometimes they slowly starve or freeze to death. Sometimes they die in agony from the infections that arise from injury or disease. It is awful to even contemplate.

If you want to have some of these small animals as pets, for their sake and yours, do a little homework before you take them home. Be sure you can handle their care, from the day they arrive through their adult lives. There are resources online, in print, and in the form of local individuals and organizations experienced with animal care.

Another option is to adopt rescued animals. They were raised as pets and then dumped. They could surely use a decent home where they are well cared for.

Springtime, for many, is a season for celebrating new life, redemption, and care for one another. Please don’t bring home any cute little fuzzy, feathered, furry “babies” only to abandon them to a cruel fate. That’s not what this season is about.

This is brilliant! I really hope our local papers agree to publish what I send in. If they don't, I'm going to contact the local SPCA to see if they can exert any influence over the publishing decision. I'm also going to forward it to some friends and relatives who live in other states. My mom (KY) and my mother-in-law (AR) will probably let me submit in their names to their papers.

I'd also like to include something about how they'll be wondering just a week later what happened to that tiny little ball of fluff they bought. Can any of you tell me if chicks and bunnies grow as quickly as ducklings? I've never owned chickens and haven't owned rabbits in so long that I can't remember how quickly they grow.

Thanks!