A quiet field in the Oldcastle area of Tecumseh became the scene of a disturbing and perplexing discovery last month, leaving local residents frustrated with a bureaucratic runaround.
A Grisly Find in a Known Dumping Spot
On November 21, 2025, resident Michelle Scott initially spotted a red-tailed hawk feeding in the field next to her home. Concerned it might have caught a cat, she investigated, only to find something far more unusual. An unknown person had dumped the bodies of approximately 19 dead ducks near her neighbour's driveway.
The secluded location, according to Scott and her husband Paul Simcoe, has long been an illegal dumping ground for trash, which they regularly clean up. However, the heaps of avian carcasses marked a shocking first.
Frustrating Search for Answers and Action
Alarmed by the find and concerned about potential diseases like Avian flu, Scott embarked on a fruitless quest to have the ducks properly removed and investigated. The Town of Tecumseh sent an inspector but stated it does not dispose of deceased animals on private property.
The Windsor-Essex County Humane Society indicated it could not help, as it does not remove deceased wildlife in Tecumseh. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it only tests birds from farms. Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) created a report but did not send a representative.
"'Just put them in the garbage' — that's exactly what we were told to do by multiple locations," Scott recounted. "Then, I was mad. If these were puppies, people would be losing their minds."
Species Identified and Official Responses
Retired city naturalist Paul Pratt reviewed photos and identified several species among the dumped ducks, including mallard, canvasback, green-winged teal, and scaup. The ducks had no visible wounds, leading to speculation they may have been domestic birds that fell ill or were slaughtered.
In a statement to the Windsor Star, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General confirmed that Animal Welfare Services is "aware of the matter and is working with our partners to determine which organization is best suited to investigate." Most of the duck carcasses have since been scavenged by other wildlife.
The incident has exposed a grey area in municipal and provincial responsibilities for dealing with suspicious wildlife mortality on private land, leaving residents like Scott and Simcoe to deal with the unsettling consequences.
