NASSAU — Two men have been charged with illegally dumping approximately 200 ring-neck pheasants and mallard ducks on private property on Mead Road. John Losowski, 55, of Valatie, and Dave Garrity, 49, of Nassau, face charges of illegal disposal of solid waste, a violation punishable by a fine of $1,500 to $15,000 and/or up to 15 days in jail, according to DEC spokesman Rick Georgeson. Both men, Georgeson said in a press release, are members of the Tri-Village Bow Hunters Club in Nassau. The birds were donated to the club by a local fire department that holds “a large game dinner each year.” The birds were “left over from that game dinner and donated to the … club for human consumption.” The “edible portions” of the birds, described as “domestic game birds” raised at a licensed shooting preserve in Dutchess County, had been removed, the release stated. The men will answer the charges in Nassau Town Court on April 23. The birds were discarded in a section of the road where the town highway department had built a berm to discourage dumping — and near a sign threatening a $1,000 fine for illegal dumping. Town Supervisor David Fleming said that he did not yet know whether the town would press additional charges. He’ll “have to see what section of law they were charged under.” If they’re charged under town law, he added, there will be no need to file additional charges. The town was offering a $150 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. The birds were discovered on March 19 by Town Board member Lani Richards, who was walking her dog in the area, said Fleming. About 40 of the birds had been taken to the DEC Wildlife Pathology lab in Delmar for testing, said Georgeson. “The rest have been removed and will be incinerated” at the lab. According to EPA Public Affairs Specialist Larisa Romanowski, the bird deaths are not related to the Dewey Loeffel Superfund site cleanup, also located on Mead Road.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 03:40:40 +0000