Dead Ducks along the Rose Drain

The homeowners living along the Rose Drain have been noticing a number of dead ducks. Valerie Buckley, Koss Farm homeowner, brings us up to date on the situation. Thank you, Val!

When we discovered them on Thursday, July 28th, the DNR was contacted by Steve Puma. The next day, Macomb County Animal Control was on the North side of the drain collecting some of the remains and informed me that if the ducks on the South side of the drain were not collected to contact their office on Saturday, which I did. They told me that it was most likely Botulism C and that they had other reported cases at 21 Mile road near the mobile home park. The officer that I spoke to at Animal Control told me to contact the Macomb Township Water and Sewer Department. I emailed the Water and Sewer Department the same day and heard back from Gerry Wangelin, the superintendent on Monday, August 1st, saying that he didn't think that his department could be much help, since the water/sewer lines were a tight and confined system that did not mix with the storm water systems. He suggested that I contact Macomb County Public Works.

Between the email to Mr. Wangelin and his response on August 1st, one of our neighbors, Laura Riddoch, older dog died and 42 ducks were counted along the stream. On August 1st I responded to his reply with the updated information. He became alarmed and came to look with his associate on that afternoon and witnessed other ducks that had died and some that were struggling in front of them. They suggested that we should contact the Macomb County Health Department, which I did. I spoke to Cole Shumaker and he informed me that he was aware of the situation from the Macomb County Animal Control Department, and that samples had been taken by Animal Control and would be sent to the State to be analyzed, but that he was sure that it was Botulism C. This particular toxin is very common, it occurs naturally in the environment, it is not harmful to humans or pets unless they were to ingest the contaminated animal remains. He also said that periodically this does happen and that it will clear up on it's own that there is no treatment for the Rose Drain or any storm drain. It is not airborne, it only occurs when the ducks feed on the organisms in the mucky bottoms.

They may want to keep their dogs or cats close by and just to be safe keep the kids way as well until we see that no further animals are affected.