Grants Pass, Ore. — It was a quiet morning at Reinhart Volunteer Park in Grants Pass.But as six year old Jordyn Stringer found, one duck is getting a lot of attention.
“It looks like it got shot with a bow and arrow,” said Stringer.
In fact, what looks like a dart from a blowgun is pierced through the ducks eye.
Shocking to those who were at the park Monday.
“I was shocked! How can people do that to an animal,” Rhonda Landes.
While it looks like it might be painful.
Rosemary Stussy from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says animals have more strength than we might think.
“He seems to be doing fine, he’s eating, and he’s swimming around, and wildlife are just darn tough,” Stussy said.
Stussy says they’re not going to try to remove the dart because it might do more harm than good. She says When and if the dart comes out, the only permanent damage will likely be blindness.
“It is none-the-less illegal to hurt wildlife,” she said.
Oregon State Police are investigating the case and say that who ever did this committed a Class ‘A’misdemeanor.
They could be fined up to $7,500 and face up to a year in jail.
As for those at the park,they all have a similar message to who ever is responsible.
“We’re all here together as one on this earth and we need to remember to take care of each other,” said Landes.
If you have any information on who may have injured the duck, you’re asked to call Oregon State Police at 541-776-6111 and ask for the gaming officer.
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