Our family recently went to McGrath Pond for a picnic and evening swim. While we were there, two boys picked up a crawfish and proceeded to torture the animal for the rest of the time we were there.

They swung it around and threw it multiple times against rocks and into the water. They teased their dog by holding the crawfish in front of his mouth, and then throwing it away. Our concerns for the animal were ignored by the kids and their parents, who witnessed the entire incident. When we checked on the crawfish, it was clearly dead.

This is not the first incident of cruelty to the wildlife that we have witnessed. Visitors to the pond have also chased and thrown snakes. What can we do as a community to enforce better treatment of the wildlife at McGrath Pond? Perhaps a sign could advise visitors not to interfere with animals who call the pond home. We love going to the pond, but the torture we sometimes see is unbearable.

Kristen, Io (13), Thora (11), Orion (8), and Leo (6) Guidry

Belgrade