Duck beaten to death North Lauderdale, FL (US) Incident Date: Monday, Sep 11, 2006 County: Broward Local Map: available Disposition: Alleged Alleged: » Santos De Jesus Murcia-Rosa » Roberto Elias Landaverde-Mancia

Case ID: 10019 Classification: Beating Animal: cat, bird (wildlife) View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

Two North Lauderdale men have been accused of beating a duck to death when the animal tried to eat their fishing bait.

Santos De Jesus Murcia-Rosa, 23, and Roberto Elias Landaverde-Mancia, 22, were charged with animal cruelty on Sept 11 after they admitted to beating the duck, the Broward Sheriff's Office said. Murcia-Rosa told investigators that he and two friends were fishing in a lake at Parrots Landing Apartments on the 1100 block of Sussex Drive when several ducks swam to the pieces of bread they used as bait.

Murcia-Rosa said they used a stick to keep the ducks at bay, but one kept trying to eat the bread, the Sheriff's Office said. The men hit the Muscovy duck harder each time it approached the bait.

"You can't beat a duck to death with a stick," Sheriff's spokesman Jim Leljedal said. "They're sort of a nuisance, but they're still protected. You can't be cruel to them."

Parrots Landing resident Scott Allen, 34, heard the sound of tree branches snapping and looked out the window of his first-floor apartment. He saw the men hitting the ducks and asked them to stop, but they ignored him.

"They were laughing at what they were doing," Allen said. "It was pretty sick, in a society like this, to see what people are doing to animals."

Allen said he called 911, then flagged down a deputy nearby. The men ran away, but he saw two of them minutes later. Allen and the deputy ran to the lake.

The duck "was on its side and it just gasped -- and died," Allen said.

"This type of incident is an indication of the lack of education about humane treatment of animals," said Jon Lappin, chief executive officer of SPCA Wildlife Care Center, a nonprofit animal hospital and shelter based in Fort Lauderdale. "It's incumbent upon us to ensure that we protect our co-inhabitants, as we encroach upon their natural habitats and the environment."

Murcia-Rosa was being held on $10,000 bail at the Broward County Main Jail. Landaverde-Mancia posted $2,500 bond and was released. Neither suspect would identify the third man involved, authorities said.

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References

South Florida Sun-Sentinel - Sept 13, 2006

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