|
Ducks a real problem
Outdoors
Oct. 3, 2008
Imagine this if you can. You wake up in the morning,
go to the kitchen, and fix yourself a cup of coffee. As you are
grasping the cup, you happen to look outside the kitchen window
and there they are, ducks everywhere, digging into your garbage,
running around the neighbor's yard and leaving behind them, their
droppings.
Think this isn't happening as you are reading this
story? You're wrong.
One of my readers contacted me of this incident
and thought it was worthy to inform the public what could happen
if a little thought isn't considered before the purchase of wild
creatures are initiated.
The following is how the story went.
It so happened that Sarah P. (not her real name
and initials she didn't wish to be identified) told her
landlord that while shopping in Youngwood, she stopped off at
Helper's Hardware where she bought some wild ducklings. She took
them home and raised them as pets. They grew to the mature age
and managed to have a family.
Letting them loose outside, the birds roamed freely
through the trailer park eating what they could find, and having
other residents of the trailer park feed them as well. Before
she knew it, it became a messy situation, and a problematic reoccurrence.
Contacting her landlord, Sarah asked if he could
get rid of the fowl for her in as much as the trailer park area
was his and it should be his responsibility to eliminate any
problems that may arise.
The gentlemen took proper steps to immediately confront
the situation.
He first contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission
and sought advice as to the remedy of this dilemma. He was told
that anyone having wild game in his possession must have a permit
before he is able to keep a living critter such as a duck. Asking
if trapping was permissible so they could be hauled away, the
PGC representative told him "no." He was told they
would only find their way back in any case.
Killing them would probably be the only solution,
except an existing problem was very apparent. He could hunt and
shoot them, except he would have to have a hunting license and
the distance between homes would have to be 150 yards between
buildings. Neither of those possibilities existed.
I contacted the PGC Southwest office in Ligonier
and was told representatives would look into the matter in greater
depth in the upcoming future. I was also advised the ducks may
not be wild in as much as I was not told exactly what species
they were.
Unknowledgeable as to the rules concerning keeping
fish as pets, I contacted the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
and asked a representative there what the law was concerning
housing various species in aquariums. I was told it is permissible
to keep fish without having a permit.
However, the following reptiles and amphibians can
never be captured for pets:
Snakes Eastern Hognose, Eastern Ribbon, Eastern Worm, Mountain
Earth, Queen, Shorthead Garter, Smooth Earth and Smooth Green
Snakes;
Salamanders Eastern Hellbender, Four-toed, Jefferson, Marbled
Ravine Salamanders and the Mudpuppy:
Skinks/Lizards Broadhead and Northern Coal Skinks and Northern
Fence Lizard;
Frogs Northern Cricket, Mountain Chorus Frogs and Striped
Chorus Frog Complex;
Turtles Blanding's Eastern Box, Spotted and Wood Turtles.
In conclusion then, it is my observation that one
give careful thought before buying wildlife for pets and keeping
them until maturity. It is also good to know what one can keep
and creatures that what one should never possess. All nature
lovers should be aware of this information.
Paul J. Volkmann
Sept 22, 2008
|