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AIBU?

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Original poster

to report this to the police, even though I am technically implicating myself?

769 replies

Imperrysmum · 10/08/2024 15:27

My local park is locked overnight and isn’t opened until 6am. It’s a huge park but in one area part of the fence is missing so I squeeze through and go into the park to walk my dog at 4am (he is an XL bully so I like to go the park when nobody is about)

The last few mornings when I have been walking round by the pond there have been a couple of men sitting on the benches next to the pond “feeding the ducks”. I noticed they have black bin liners next to them too. I’m pretty sure I recognise these men from working in a takeaway restaurant.

I am concerned they are trying to catch ducks. I hope i’m wrong, but I just can’t see why two adult men would sit feeding the ducks at 4am?! Especially as the park is officially closed and they have bin liners next to them.

AIBU to report this to the police, even though I’ll be implicating myself too?

OP posts:
SummerSnowstorm · 10/08/2024 20:55

I don't think scrawny pond ducks would be much good for meat? I'd assume duck meat comes from those big fat white ducks

iwfja · 10/08/2024 20:44

Was one of the blokes the FIL from the frogging thread? Maybe they were frogging and not trying to kill and cook ducks for their takeaway business.

Startrekkeruniverse · 10/08/2024 20:44

Birdied · 10/08/2024 20:17

The naivety and downright stupidity of some of the previous posters on this thread is staggering.

Two men with black bags at the pond at 4am are certainly not "chilling on their way home from work".

The ducks are sleeping and most likely don't make a sound when their necks are being broken. For those who are unaware, this is a known thing - every so often an article will pop up wherein someone has been caught stealing wild ducks and selling them. Grim, but it happens. This is quite clearly what is happening here.

Of course you report it. Report it to the police, to the park warden/council and to the local wild animal rescue. Do it all in writing. If you can, follow it up.

Don't worry one bit about "implicating" yourself, yes, you shouldn't be there, but the greater good of animal welfare must prevail. Nothing is going to happen to you, it will be a relief that finally it has been spotted and something can be done.

This is the right response. Please report it OP, they’re obviously not feeding the fucking ducks.

DowngradedToATropicalStorm · 10/08/2024 20:38

Jetstream · 10/08/2024 17:44

It is the food safety people you’d contact not police.

The police weren't there looking for dog meat. They found them as a side issue.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 10/08/2024 20:37

Our village had a duck pond. The village children all used to feed the ducks (bread, this is going back several decades). One Christmas, the village woke up to a duck-free pond. Yes, all the ducks were stolen late Christmas Eve.

The moral of this story is duck stealing is possible. But probably only when full of Christmas spirit.

TaylorSwish · 10/08/2024 20:36

Plot twist. The ducks were the only ones in the this scenario that were doing something illegal.

Indi1906 · 10/08/2024 20:36

Imperrysmum · 10/08/2024 15:58

You’re allowed to walk an XL bully off lead on private property? The park is closed at 4am so it’s private property.

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This is so incorrect it’s unbelievable. Why would you risk your dog’s life like this.

CareerChange24 · 10/08/2024 20:35

I hope you have that dog muzzled

Candystardaisy87 · 10/08/2024 20:34

This thread has really cheered me up tonight 🤣

Expatfamily · 10/08/2024 20:30

Imperrysmum · 10/08/2024 15:53

“Dangerous dog breeds” still need to be walked? Im walking him in a locked park at 4am when nobody is about (except the potential duck snatchers) surely this is me being responsible.

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op, this makes you responsible.

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:25

@Cedricsmum you're absolutely right, how would I know if the students talked. It just seems like ideal tabloid fodder hence my cynicism. However you’ve convinced me now!

Cedricsmum · 10/08/2024 20:22

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:19

University with a Y, so York? How did this not become public knowledge? It’s not like students don’t talk.

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And how do you know the students didn’t talk?

shakespearetower · 10/08/2024 20:22

Where I live, we have a 'lake' filled with fish. Several times now. men have been caught at silly o'clock stealing the fish to eat. There's actually a sign up now warning against doing this. I don't think OP is being ridiculous to wonder if the men she has seen are stealing ducks.

OP, like others, I think you should go observe and see what they're doing. As other posters have queries, they might just be sleeping rough.

VJBR · 10/08/2024 20:21

Imperrysmum · 10/08/2024 18:23

But a burglar is taking items? I am simply walking around a park with my dog?

Pretty sure it’s not trespassing if you can freely enter, it only becomes trespassing once someone asks you to leave and you don’t leave immediately.

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Pretty sure it is trespass. Maybe the guys by the duck pond have already reported you for having an illegal dog.

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:21

Wild duck is quite tough and Haney compared to the type we normally see in the supermarket. So whilst it’s possible to believe that two men wee trying to steal ducks, the added detail of them working in a takeaway sounds specious.

Thesecretingredientiscrime · 10/08/2024 20:20

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:00

I honestly find this very difficult to believe.

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Nope, it happened.

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:19

Cedricsmum · 10/08/2024 20:17

Please yourself 🤷‍♀️ I know it to be fact

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University with a Y, so York? How did this not become public knowledge? It’s not like students don’t talk.

justasking111 · 10/08/2024 20:18

Wild ducks are in season from 1 September to 20th February, you're not allowed to shoot, eat them outside those dates.

We had a lovely pond locally. Thieves caught and stole all the fish in the early hours. Was very upsetting. We've also had swans stolen.

Birdied · 10/08/2024 20:17

The naivety and downright stupidity of some of the previous posters on this thread is staggering.

Two men with black bags at the pond at 4am are certainly not "chilling on their way home from work".

The ducks are sleeping and most likely don't make a sound when their necks are being broken. For those who are unaware, this is a known thing - every so often an article will pop up wherein someone has been caught stealing wild ducks and selling them. Grim, but it happens. This is quite clearly what is happening here.

Of course you report it. Report it to the police, to the park warden/council and to the local wild animal rescue. Do it all in writing. If you can, follow it up.

Don't worry one bit about "implicating" yourself, yes, you shouldn't be there, but the greater good of animal welfare must prevail. Nothing is going to happen to you, it will be a relief that finally it has been spotted and something can be done.

Cedricsmum · 10/08/2024 20:17

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:00

I honestly find this very difficult to believe.

Show quote history

Please yourself 🤷‍♀️ I know it to be fact

Quacking4it · 10/08/2024 20:10

I'd go undercover. I have a soft spot for ducks. In fact I have a duck costume you could use as a disguise

Butterfly7979 · 10/08/2024 20:02

Seems like it has happened before

www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/quackdown-duck-thieves-election-candidate-2115630.amp

KittytheHare · 10/08/2024 20:00

Cedricsmum · 10/08/2024 19:23

People may think that this sounds ridiculous but I work for a university where we have a very nice lake with ducks and several international students were thrown out of the university for stealing ducks and cooking them, so ……….

I honestly find this very difficult to believe.

Kissthetip · 10/08/2024 19:58

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Sassysia · 10/08/2024 19:54

Posters being so rude about OPs dog. That wasn’t the AIBU!