Target: Rachel Farrell, Chief Constable, Dorset Police, United Kingdom
Goal: Identify the men who threw objects at ducks and mocked a volunteer, and pursue charges supported by the evidence.
A duck’s distress drew a volunteer toward the river. She says she found three men throwing objects at birds. When she called for them to stop, they exposed their buttocks toward her and later jeered as she tried to record their faces. The group left before being identified.
The confrontation occurred around 3:25 p.m. on Sunday near the River Frome, with the men heading up Friary Hill. The volunteer checked the ducks and said they appeared unharmed. Other incidents this year have involved injured or dead birds, but no evidence establishes that this group was responsible for those cases.
People who watch over wildlife should have police support, and ducks deserve protection before an encounter ends in serious injury. Police inquiries and patrols continue. Call for the suspects to be identified, relevant evidence to be assessed, and supported charges to proceed toward appropriate punishment if wrongdoing is proved.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chief Constable Farrell,
Please pursue the incident involving three men harassing ducks and a Duck Patrol volunteer. Her account describes an attack on waterfowl followed by indecent and mocking behavior when she intervened. Although she found no obvious injuries afterward, the conduct deserves investigation rather than dependence on volunteers to prevent another encounter.
Ask for any original phone recording and obtain a detailed account while memories remain fresh. Seek witnesses along the river and the reported departure route, and examine available footage where relevant. Assess possible connections with earlier complaints only where evidence supports them. Maintaining visible patrols and a clear reporting channel would also help residents contribute safely without confronting suspects themselves.
We urge you to pursue applicable charges where justified and provide prosecutors with the evidence needed to seek proportionate penalties upon conviction. Keep the volunteer informed and coordinate prevention with local wildlife carers. Please turn this witness appeal into sustained action so birds can feed and rest safely, with lawful accountability for proven offenses.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Oast House Archive
