photo by pexels

By Ernie Garcia, Thompson-Bender

Feb. 7, 2025: Town of Mount Pleasant officials received confirmation that the Canada geese found dead Sunday at a pond in a local park tested positive for Avian Flu.

The State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) found two separate strains of the disease commonly known as Bird Flu.

As a result, Carroll Park in Thornwood will remain closed until further notice. 

"The positive results are not surprising considering the presence of the disease being seen in various bird species across New York and other parts of the nation," Mount Pleasant Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi said, "but it is important that we now definitively know what we're dealing with. We will be working closely with the DEC and the Westchester County Health Department in implementing a cleaning protocol for the park."

Mount Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva urged residents to take the potential health risks seriously.

"Avian flu is transmissible to humans, and while the number of cases reported to date is relatively low, as the disease continues to spread among bird species, the exposure to humans grows at the same time," said Oliva.

He also cautioned pet owners to avoid any areas where geese have left droppings which carry the disease.

Anyone who finds a dead goose or bird in a town park or other town owned property should contact the Town Police Department at 914-769-1941. The Police will arrange to have a wildlife professional remove it. Dead birds found on private property in the town should be reported to the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation via the NYSDEC Avian Influenza Reporting Form.