My neighbor next door heard I was taking care of injured birds and didn’t like it, so he constantly phoned, e-mailed, wrote the State of NJ, and the township of Egg Harbor Township complaining about it. If driving by my house, you would never suspect I took care of injured birds, my house looking like everyone else’s. The State of NJ immediately started searching my home. My home was searched 6 times during the year I was permitted.

The conservation officers would come into my home, search my entire home including my bedroom and personal items. They told me if I did not cooperate they would pull my permit. It seemed like extortion to me, and I had no choice. When I suggested they were only allowed to look at the room with the birds in it, Mike Massey the conversation officer which lead the investigations told me I had to let them look wherever they wanted. He said they were above the law and could do whatever they wanted. I told them that I spoke to my lawyer and that the lawyer said that my personal items were off limits and required a search warrant. He disagreed and continued to search through my personal items.

Each time NJ Fish & Game came to my home they told me I was required to change something. They told me to make changes that had nothing to do with rehabilitating birds, but I did them anyway to keep my permit. I soon came to understand that the state had absolutely no knowledge of rehabilitating wildlife. They claimed to be biologists, and conservationists, but no one person I spoke to had any experience on rehabilitating. For them to claim they are biologists only means they have knowledge of bacteria, or other organisms, or maybe trees, or animal types. What does any of that have to do with rehabilitation?

The 6th time my house was searched I was sick of it. Not only did I have the State Fish & Game to contend with, but the neighbor had the police continually at my house for complaints of noise, or anything that came to mind. Police officers brought noise meters to my home, and could find no violation. The Health Department was called and could find no violation, the SPCA was called to investigate and could find no violation.

The Egg Harbor Township Deputy Administrator Dale E. Goodreau would leave nasty notes on my front door and threatening messages on my answering machine. My neighbor on the other side told me this Dale asked permission to go on her property and look over stockade fence into my back yard (my yard is not clearly visible by looking over the gate). She told me that there was nothing in my yard, even my ducks were lying under the bushes unseen. Mr. Goodreau’s messages said that there were hundreds of birds from all over the state attracted to my yard. He said I’m responsible for all hawk attacks of birds in other people’s yards, and responsible for them passing through the State of NJ. I had better contact him or there would be severe penalties to face. I didn’t call.

At this point I couldn’t see the importance of his position in relation with my rehabilitation of birds, and I still don’t see it today. I only see an unreasonable, threatening, individuals. All I wanted to do was help God’s creatures which couldn’t help themselves. I was a volunteer, I didn’t get paid for this, and it was my own time and money with very little donation money to help. But I found every donation precious, and respected each individual who helped me give back to the earth and help make it better for all of us. There are still many good people on this earth which try to do their part. During this time frame a friend let me build a caging area on their 9 acre property in the middle of the woods in Egg Harbor Township. I hoped this would stop all of the harassment.

Watch for the next installment of our story …

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