Group offering $2,500 for information about shooting of red-tailed hawk in Massachusetts
"Their actions led to this hawk’s unnecessary pain and suffering and we want people to know that this will not be tolerated in our community," Auburn Animal Control Officer Aimee Contois said.
An animal protection group is offering a $2,500 reward for information that leads to the arrest of whomever is responsible for shooting down a red-tailed hawk, a protected species, in Auburn earlier this month.
The Humane Society of the United States announced the sum Thursday as officials continued to search for details surrounding the shooting of the juvenile red-tailed hawk, which was found Oct. 8 with an injured right wing, according to a statement from the organization.
The hawk suffered multiple fractures that compromised blood supply to its wing and was ultimately euthanized because of its injuries.
“This disturbing incident highlights the urgent need for the passage of S. 2248, a bill to enter Massachusetts into a nationwide law enforcement network called the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, and to strengthen outdated penalties for hunting violations in the Commonwealth,” Stephanie Harris, Massachusetts and Rhode Island state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said in the statement. “Wildlife violators threaten the welfare and conservation of native species important to our ecosystems and economy, and steal from lawful fishing businesses, recreational sportsmen and women, and wildlife watchers.”
An Auburn animal control officer discovered the hawk in a neighborhood near Bryn Mawr Avenue and Prospect Parkway after receiving a report.
Killing a red-tailed hawk violates the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and is punishable by a fine of up to $15,000 and/or a six-month prison sentence, according to the statement.
The reward offered by the humane society is for “information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible,” the statement said.
“As a department, we are always looking to work with and educate members of our community regarding any animal related issues or concerns they may be having,” Aimee Contois, animal control officer with the town of Auburn, said in the statement. “In the case of this young red-tailed hawk, someone made the decision to act on their own and shot a federally protected animal. Their actions led to this hawk’s unnecessary pain and suffering and we want people to know that this will not be tolerated in our community.”
Auburn Animal Control, the Massachusetts Environmental Police, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Contois either by phone at 508 832-7703 or by email at [email protected].
