WRIC Richmond News and Weather - Dead Animals Found In Local Parks
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Neighbors say it is a mystery -- Squirrels, chipmunks and birds are turning up dead in people's yards and on city streets.
Resident Cathy Cooper says she's found five dead animals on her property alone. Oddly, none of the animals had trauma to their bodies.
"I'm a physician, so I thought these animals aren't traumatized," said Cooper. "They look perfectly fine. It really looked like maybe they were poisoned."
Cooper decided to get online with neighborhood news groups to see if anyone else noticed a problem and that's when a pattern emerged. She said residents reported a total of six dead squirrels, five chipmunks, and 10 to 15 birds in the last two weeks.
All of the animals were found in Laburnum Park, Ginter Park and Bellevue along roads with large grassy medians.
Cooper said she called Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries, and the city office for environmental concerns.
"They indicated that pesticides, herbicides that people use in their yard, would probably be the most likely thing that would kill squirrels chipmunks and birds."
Neighbors are now concerned about their pets and young children.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries issued a request to residents to bag and ice any freshly dead animals so that they can determine what's killing them.
A city spokesperson said they've looked into the problem and are confident the herbcides are not the cause.
Stay with 8News for updates.
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