News Release

April 29, 2004
Contact: Abigail Smith
Dir. of Development & Marketing
Phone: (603) 772-2921 ext. 106

For Immediate Release

Stratham, NH - 4 Large Appleyard Ducks Rescued

On Monday, April 26th the New Hampshire SPCA received a call from Stratham Police requesting assistance in rescuing four ducks roaming along Portsmouth Avenue near the BMW dealership in Stratham. The NHSPCA's Animal Control Officer arrived on the scene around 2:00 PM and was successful in capturing one of the four Large Appleyard ducks. With assistance from another staff member of the NHSPCA the remaining three ducks were rescued on Tuesday, April 27th in the afternoon.

The ducks were brought to the NHSPCA's Stratham location and will be held there for seven days in accordance with New Hampshire state statute. If the ducks are not claimed within the seven day time period they will be considered abandoned and will be made available for adoption.

During the course of the rescue on Tuesday nearly a dozen passersby stopped to inquire as to the reason the ducks were being taken, commenting that their children enjoyed seeing the ducks and feeding them. The ducks were rescued from the area because people were feeding them from both sides of the road and the ducks were crossing from side to side posing a grave danger to themselves and threatening the safety of motorists. Both Police and the NHSPCA had concerns about the ducks potentially causing a fatal accident on busy Portsmouth Avenue (Rt. 108).

It is believed that the ducks were abandoned because Appleyard ducks are a domestic breed of duck. The NHSPCA is a community resource and is here for pet owners who have a need to surrender their animals for whatever reason. Surrendering animals to an animal shelter ensures the safety and health of the animals and prevents potentially dangerous situations created by abandoning domestic animals in the community.

The New Hampshire SPCA is a community resource center which provides animal adoption, education, investigation and sheltering services in a professional and compassionate way. The Adoption Center is open from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and closed on Wednesdays. For more information about making a donation to the New Hampshire SPCA please call (603) 772-2921 ext. 106 or visit www.nhspca.org.

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