| One early morning, Mary Berecky of KDKA and her camera crew came out to Wildlife Works to bring some attention to a local problem. The center of the story was the mistreatment of local ducks and geese. Both Mary Beth Molnar and our Director, Beth Shoaf, explained to the public the extent of the problems faced by these animals. Since March, Wildlife Works has rescued 25 domestic ducks and geese with various injuries including those inflicted by cars, dogs, discarded fishing line, the elements, and rough play of young children. We believe that the problem starts with ignorance. The majority of these ducks were bought at hardware and farm stores as Easter peeps, but weren’t intended to be life-long pets. What these people hadn’t realized is that taking in a duckling or gosling is just as much of a commitment as taking in a kitten or puppy. Non-flighted fowl such as these need to be kept in an enclosed area where they have access to a pond and are safe from predators. Domestic fowl also need to have dietary supplementation with commercial food; grazing is not their full means of nourishment. Domestic ducks and geese are protected by law against abandonment just as dogs, cats, and any other domestic animals are. |
| The definition of abandonment is: leaving any domesticated animal on any property without the knowledge of and an agreement by the property owner to care for the animal. Wildlife Works normally does not admit domestic animals, but this is the exception to the rule. Domestic birds do not fall under the jurisdiction of the Game Commission, and most humane agencies are not equipped to handle them. Wildlife Works has committed to assist with this problem, not only on behalf of the needy birds, but also because of the negative effects that the release of domestics have on our native waterfowl. Due to a marked decrease in wetlands over the years, many species of native ducks have been decreasing in numbers. Domestics released into the wild compete with wild waterfowl for food, habitat, and nesting sites. We believe that removing these birds from the wild and placing them in good homes may benefit native waterfowl species of special interest. Since the story, Wildlife Works has received several calls from concerned viewers who were offering to help in various ways. Since most of the fowl has been situated into flocks, at this point the best way to help the situation is by means of monetary donation. |
| Wildlife Works Ducks and Geese Make Local News! |
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