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?

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.

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.

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

Nope, it happened.

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.

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

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.

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

@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!

op, this makes you responsible.

This thread has really cheered me up tonight 🤣

I hope you have that dog muzzled

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

I assume killing a duck , then removing features and doing all the cleaning would ve quite tedious and "dirty" job in student halls; much easier to get duck legs/breasts in nearest shop.

Every once in a while a thread like this comes along and makes me glad I found mumsnet

Do you think most students would consider this?

You're really jumping to conclusions. There are loads of reasons they could be there at that time. Who knows maybe they're not legal reasons but the duck thing seems really random and you've not seen them actually doing anything which can be reported. They could be cruising for all you know 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I would assume the park wardens keep an eye on the number of ducks and if they were dwindling they'd be monitoring it themselves.

It occurs to me that it seems like a long winded way and time consuming way to get ducks when they don't cost that much especially when ordered in bulk by a restaurant. Does this takeaway even serve duck?

You entered the park illegally. It was closed, And you could have kidnapped or stolen the dog for all anybody knows. You don't have a leg to stand on. Walking a dangerous dog in the middle of the night in a place you entered illegally. And spying on folk.

And you know the students in question lived in halls of residence? No they didn’t. They lived in a private rented apartment. Maybe much easier to buy in the shops but then you have to pay and the poor ducks on our pond were free of charge 🤷‍♀️