More than a dozen pigeons that were found dead at a Bucks County park over the weekend were likely poisoned, investigators said.
On July 8, Warminster Police and a Warminster Animal Control Officer were notified of numerous dead birds at the old NADC tower at Warminster Community Park along Bristol Road in Warminster. When the officers arrived they found 16 dead domestic pigeons with tags on them, indicating they were someone’s pets.
“For so many of them to be together I tend to think that whoever owns them is relatively local,” Nicole Wilson of the Pennsylvania SPCA said.
The officers also spotted bird feeders – which aren’t typically found at the park – with an unknown substance inside of them.
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Investigators are currently conducting tests to determine what the substance is but suspect it's a poison that was meant to kill the birds. They also said the bird feeders were likely placed at the park early Saturday morning.
Wilson said other animals could have eaten the birds and died and children could’ve been harmed by the substance in the bird feeders as well.
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“Individuals walking pets in the area,” she said. “Their pets could consume that poison and also negatively be affected. So this isn’t just about these animals, it’s about all the other animals that could be impacted as well as the people.”
Officials are still waiting on test results to see what the substance actually is. In the meantime, they’re warning the public to not handle any similar bird feeders or bait if they happen to spot them in the area.
If you have any information on the incident, please call Warminster Police at 215-672-1000.
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