Why do dead animals keep showing up in this Florida neighborhood?

DeLAND, Florida. – Residents of DeLand’s Victoria Commons neighborhood are stunned by what they call a “sudden” and “strange” animal killing.

“Ducks, native Florida birds, ibises. We have a dead hawk. We haven’t seen the cranes, which were beloved in this community. And dozens of muscovy ducks (are) all dead,” said Raquel Levy.

Levy and her daughter Bella Schwartz told News 6 that dead animals were first found around the nearby lake more than a week ago.

They said they are also concerned because the lake’s water is used to irrigate the neighborhood.

“The same water that we have here that kills things, we don’t want it on our lawns, and especially not on people’s lawns that dogs are running through and coming back to us,” Schwartz said.

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Dozens of residents have signed a petition and even held demonstrations over the past week to get answers.

Levy said they believed the homeowners association may have treated the lake with a chemical to reduce the algae blooms just before the “deaths” began.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told News 6 that it is unusual for birds to also die from fish kills, which is why the state tested the water.

Levy said the results came in Wednesday and the water tested negative for the specific chemical toxin the homeowners association allegedly used.

Levy says they are now wondering if a chemical was spread before the water was tested, or if something else was put in the water.

“The water has been treated and we want a record of any treatments that have been done recently and to find out what chemicals were used to treat the water,” she said.

Levy also happens to be a local attorney, so she said residents are now taking legal action to get answers.

News 6 also reached out to the neighborhood’s homeowners association, the Victoria Park Community Council, who sent the following statement:

We have been closely monitoring the conditions at the pond and can confirm that no hazardous chemicals have been added to the pond. Instead, the pond has been maintained in accordance with FWC and Water Management District guidelines and requirements, as it has been for a long time.

Victoria Park City Council

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