Muscovy Ducks Taken Away by Trappers - Sunrise, Florida:

Sunrise residents of Pebble Springs Condo's, located near the Springtree Golf Course, are reacting to the removal of dozens of Muscovies that were trapped and taken away on Friday, August 7^th, 2009.

One trapper, 19 year old Austin Lee Corley, stated to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that he was hired to take away the Muscovy ducks by another complex, and had made a mistake.

Later in an interview the trapper, Corley, said that he sells the ducks to a man, that he declined to identify, who breeds the ducks then sells the ducklings as pets. However, Corley also told a police officer that "all" the ducks would be euthanized, according to the police report. Which statement is true?

One resident reported seeing men using bread to lure the ducks. Once they trapped the ducks they then broke their wings, and put them in a cage in the back of a their pick-up truck. Another resident said he witnessed two men using their knees to pin down the ducks, once the ducks were trapped they "tossed" them into the back of a pick-up truck.

Police officers did not witness the actual trapping, and saw no visible harm to the ducks, there was no evidence of animal-cruelty. Because the Muscovy ducks are not native to south Florida they are not protected by the wildlife laws and they are exempt. The Muscovies are protected by the animal-cruelty laws of Florida.

Sherry Schlueter, director of the SPCA Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida confirms that the Muscovy ducks are protected under animal-cruelty laws, the same laws that protect dogs, cats, etc., also protect the Muscovies.

You can read the South Florida Sun-Sentinel article here. Please, do not be misled into thinking that it is only the elderly that have compassion for these ducks.

As a south Florida resident I see many ducks in my neighborhood, and they cause no harm to anyone. We feed the ducks, my neighbors feed them, and I have even seen children feeding them. We recently saved an unhatched duckling.

The thought that anyone is luring these helpless and harmless ducks to kill them or sell them for a profit is heartbreaking. If a human being using their knees to pin down a duck and break their wings is not considered animal-cruelty I cannot help but wonder what is considered animal-cruelty to ducks.

Are Muscovy ducks really protected by the animal-cruelty laws? If someone pinned down a dog, and broke its leg that would be animal-cruelty punishable by law. Muscovies deserve the same protection.

If you would like to help end the cruelty to Moscovies sign the petition to have the Moscovy Duck designated as a Florida Native Species in the state of Florida, then they will become a protected species.

Sign the petition here --->Muscovy Ducks to be designated as a Florida Native Species