The signs around Clay Pit Pond warning people to be aware of avian flu are ominous, but they are a precaution more than anything else.
“We are trying to give people the tools they need to stay safe,” said Animal Control Officer Suzanne Trasavage.
According to Trasavage, there is actually something out on the ice at Clay Pit Pond. It could well be a dead goose, but safety concerns preclude getting close enough to tell.
“It has all the markings to be a goose, but because we can’t get close or touch it, we can be 100% sure it is,” she said.
According to the state Department of Agricultural Resources, Massachusetts has seen ongoing cases of the virus since 2022. Last year, the flu was blamed for the death of geese and swans in Plymouth.
According to the state, it had to eradicate a domestic, non-farm flock of chickens in the same town. Trasavage said there are 32 families keeping chickens in Belmont.
“It’s good that we have a list of people who own chickens,” said Wesley Chin, the director of Belmont’s Health department. “That way, we can get information out to them quickly.”
The Clay Pit Pond signs offer some sound advice:
-
Keep dogs out of the water because sick birds and infected carcasses can contaminate open bodies of water with the virus. As with many other viruses, not every infected bird shows symptoms of illness, so keep the dog on a leash and out of the water.
-
Don’t let your pets eat or otherwise interact with wildlife. According to the state, cats are susceptible to the virus and can die from infection.
-
Report dead birds if five or more are found dead in a single location.
-
Don’t handle dead birds.
Ultimately, the pattern of the disease, whether the number of cases will blossom, then die back, is unclear, Trasavage said.