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

[Imperrysmum]

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?

Babe you won’t win on here cause you have an xl they could be plotting a bloody murder but cause your dogs an xl your in the wrong 🙈

Love it! Love MN! Have not laughed so in ages! Sorry, just pictured it all - XL bully, guys on a bench, hole in the mesh, 4 am. Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An enjoyable thread for a Saturday evening OP I have had a good laugh while imbibing my glass of vino especially the duck themed puns. My late great grandfather was stationed in India while in the Army. He was very partial to Bombay duck which confused my great grandmother till he explained to her it was a fish. The catching of critters by takeaways is an urban myth from when Adam was a lad and probably does have racist undertones. A former colleague used to walk her dog in the early hours. She reckoned the weather conditions were more favourable then 😂.

By your logic, if you had a neighbour who had a huge garden but a broken fence, you would be able to walk your XL Bully on their ‘private property’ off lead.

I would imagine that rule only applies to private property that YOU own OP.

And I think you’re being ridiculous about the men sitting on the bench.

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 ……….

So that's what happened to Long Boi...?

You could report your suspicions to Crimestoppers saying that you've been out walking your dog and have seen people in the park...bags, ducks etc.

Please report it to the park authority first, then the police later if nothing happens. Wildlife crime within the police is massively underfunded. The park authority is far more likely to prioritise it - they might know how many ducks they usually have, and may have noticed some missing.
They will probably decide to getting a better fence, though.

Exactly. Other cultures have different traditions about hunting wildfowl, it's legal in their countries, and ai know of at least one migrant worker who was nonplussed that he couldn't take the swans off the lake (ducks for incoming racist comments). Rural wildlife crime is a big thing.

Possibly.
The duck stealing has been going on at that university for a very long time. When I went there 30 years ago a student was thrown out for cooking a duck. Feathers and feet were found in a bin in a kitchen by one of the cleaners. Allegedly.
Not sure if it's just an urban myth though.

I'd bet a duck you're referring to a university that starts with a Y or a W.

It's not your private property though.

Nor do you have the permission of the owner to walk your dog there without the legally required safety measures.

You’re right! Starts with Y

No dog is worth getting up at 4am for, even worse for a reason like that.

I spent most of my time there trying to avoid the geese.

And the duck shit all over the paths 😂

I’d be happy with a busybody rather than a fuckwit that does nothing. My friend had 30 hens stolen during the night. Twice. It really does happen.

Jesus christ. Never mention an xl bully. The leaps to off lead and no muzzle 😂

OP. I'd give up here if i were you. Well done on sticking with your dog. And well done for looking out for the ducks 🦆

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

I honestly find this very difficult to believe.

Seems like it has happened before

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

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

Please yourself 🤷‍♀️ I know it to be fact