ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — The SPCA serving Erie County is asking the community to not abandon pets in public spaces.
The agency said Thursday they are specifically seeing a problem with people releasing waterfowl like ducks and geese.
In June, They got a call about two ducks that were abandoned at Hoyt Lake.
The SPCA warns that domesticated animals, reptiles, or birds not only can't survive on their own, but it puts pets and wildlife in danger. "We're facing a thing out in the community called HPAI, which is a highly pathogenic avian influenza which is mainly spread through waterfowl. So by people abandoning these ducks, not only are they causing disservice to the waterfowl, our wild waterfowl and wildlife in the community, but also it's a death sentence do these domesticated animals" says Officer Lindsey Wood .
Those two ducks were rescued and are now living at the shelter.
The SPCA says if you have an animal you can't care for contact the shelter or farm instead of releasing them in the wild.