Joint Statement on recent news reports of mute swan killings by the State Department of Environmental Conservation in upstate, NY from State Senator Tony Avella and Edita Birnkrant, Campaigns Director, Friends of Animals:

"As the State Senate was passing legislation to halt the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)’s senseless plan to eradicate all wild mute swans in the state by 2025 and declare them a “prohibited species,” we learn that three DEC agents decided to go on a killing spree of these majestic birds in an unmarked boat. To say that this was horrific and inhumane incident is an understatement. We are left in absolute shock that these killings occurred in front of families enjoying their day near the Black River Bay.  The brutality and viciousness of DEC purposely killing these swans, which happened to be swan parents with now orphaned babies, is deplorable. The fact that these killings were carried outafter DEC agreed to revise their “eradication plan” and present it for another public hearing, is even more shameful and most definitely warrants an immediate investigation. We are calling on DEC to immediately explain their vicious shooting of two mute swan parents and we call on Governor Cuomo to immediately sign the moratorium legislation into law, so that events like these do not occur in the future."

Read the story here.

Attached is a letter  authored by Senator Tony Avella, which was immediately sent to the DEC Commissioner via mail and fax.