​Mississippi - USDA kills Pascagoula ducks and geese citing 'health and safety' concerns

[Pathfinder]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascagoula,_Mississippi

USDA kills Pascagoula ducks and geese citing 'health and safety' concerns

Posted: Sep 25, 2015 5:35 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 25, 2015 8:41 PM CDT
By Steve PhillipsCONNECT

PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -
...
?Saw a couple of dead ducks and didn't think too much about it,? said retired veterinarian, Dr. John Battley.

But then, Battley noticed the wind had moved even more dead animals.

?It had the ducks pushed up in one corner and there were about 25 or 30 of them. And then down that little canal there were a couple more dead and a couple very sick,? said Battley. ?I would say approximately 30 dead. And then approximately 15 more that were sick."

The City of Pascagoula says USDA was taking the ducks as part of a "random" testing program for bird flu with the assistance of local animal control.

?They came out with them to distribute some bread that had a sedative in it, to sedate the birds. And again, I'm investigating further to find out their additional actions,? said Pascagoula Police Chief Kenny Johnson.

However, a USDA spokesperson Pam Boehland says the agency's actions had nothing at all to do with avian flu testing.

Boehland says they were removing the geese and ducks at the request of the nearby Lakeshore Naval Facility, since droppings from the animals were creating a "health and safety" concern.
...


http://www.wlox.com/story/30119568/...s-and-geese-citing-health-and-safety-concerns

 

[Pathfinder]

IG Levy Memorial Park
http://cityofpascagoula.com/city-parks

Health risk is real from duck and geese population at park

Posted: Sep 28, 2015 5:50 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 29, 2015 5:54 AM CDT
By Steve PhillipsCONNECT

PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -
...
As we first reported on Friday, the birds were euthanized by the USDA because they represented a public health concern. We have new information about the health threat the birds posed to a nearby naval facility.

Some Canada geese and Muscovy ducks still live on the lake at I.G. Levy Park. That?s where at least 19 such birds were killed after posing a health threat to the nearby Lakeside Naval Support facility. Navy public affairs spokesman, Rob Mims, told me the birds have been damaging property by defecating outside the main entrance and along a breezeway. The health concern comes from personnel and visitors tracking the feces inside the buildings.
...
WLOX News spoke with state veterinarian, Dr. Jim Watson, who said yes, in fact, these animals can sometimes disrupt the environment and can pose a very real risk to health and safety. He talked about the diseases that can be carried in these animals' feces and anyone who may contact the fecal matter. Diseases like salmonella, E-Coli and of course, bird flu.

Those same concerns were echoed by Dr. James Askew at Saucier Veterinary Hospital.

"Anytime you have a large number of birds in one area, you're going to have an increase in all kinds of pathogens, you're going to have water quality that's going to be compromised. There's a million things that can go wrong. Not to mention the fact these birds are coming from all over the country. They can bring anything in from avian influenza. So many different diseases that are out there," said Dr. Askew.
...

http://www.wlox.com/story/30135653/health-risk-is-real-from-duck-and-geese-population-at-park