Perspective | Anecdote
The Heartbreaking News of Duck Kidnappings
And how we can be duck advocates
I recently saw a piece on Inside Edition about ducks being taken from both public and privet ponds. You can see the piece for yourself here. For those who’d prefer not to watch, it shows a video captured by Justin Araujo, a resident of a condo development. He shot the video when he noticed someone taking a duck from the development’s pond. In a brief conversation with the man as he makes his escape, he openly admits to not living at the development, and claims he’s taking the duck to “take his temperature.” Araujo points out that he’s put the animal in a plastic back so it can’t breathe. The news piece also tells of a little girl who’s pet duck has been kidnapped. In both cases, it it believed the ducks are going to be sold as meat.
Attitudes and consequences
It got me thinking about who would do something like that. To walk into a park, condo development, or someone’s back yard, and simply walk away with a bird. In the Inside Edition piece, Robert Gaughen of the Home Owner’s Association (presumably that of the condo development or home of the pet duck) makes the comparison “would you feel fine if somebody drove up, and grabbed your dog, and stuffed it in a bag, and took it and sold it as dog meat somewhere?” I think that’s the best way to put it. Why should we treat any animal differently than we would treat someone’s beloved pet?
I wanted to find out if animals like these ducks are held to the same legal standard as cats or dogs. If these individuals were caught, what kind of legal consequences, if any, could they face? I was able to find evidence that taking waterfowl of any kind from a pond without proper permission is illegal in both the US and the UK. I was unable to find out exactly what the penalty of breaking those laws would incur, but it helps just a bit to know that these people could be held responsible for their actions.
So if by chance you see this kind of activity, don’t hesitate to report it to the proper authorities.
What we can do
I’m not here to speak out against hunting or eating ducks. Those actions are perfectly legal, and if people choose to partake in them, they have their rights. But there is a proper way to go about it. Kidnapping animals is unacceptable. Animal rights can be a difficult discussion, but it’s one we need to have. I find it appalling that anyone would think this sort of behavior is acceptable, and only through larger awareness of the issues can we help others understand.
For anyone who wants to learn more, Ducks Unlimited offers information about both the conservation of wildlife, as well as resources to legally hunt ducks. You might also consider donating to the Fauna & Flora International’s campaign to save the endangered West Indian whistling duck. Duck based charities are hard to come by, but to help wildlife in general, you could purchase your next jacket from Save The Duck, or adopt a duck (or plenty of other animals) from the World Animal Foundation. Both of these charities seek to preserve the environment for all animals.
