Dead Geese Prompt Park Closures In Allentown Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

ALLENTOWN, NJ — Parks in Allentown remain closed after dead geese were discovered in the area, one of the first large batches of dead birds reported in Monmouth County following a recent outbreak of bird flu throughout the state.

Allentown announced closures for Pete Sensi Park, Dr. Farmer’s Park and Heritage Park Friday afternoon after the dead geese were discovered, and told residents to stay away from the water and avoid fishing and contact with bird feces.

On Saturday, the borough contracted Mario’s Pest Control to remove the dead geese from the millpond and surrounding parkland in Dr. Farmer’s Park and Pete Sensi Park.

As of Monday morning, Dr. Farmer’s Park and Pete Sensi Park are still closed, Borough Administrator Laurie Roth said. The portion of Heritage Park by the Old Mill parking lot along the waterfront is also closed, Roth said, though all other areas of Heritage Park are open.

Around 25-30 dead geese were found in the millpond area, Roth said, though all three parks were closed out of precaution since they share the same waterway.

Mayor Thomas Fritts acknowledged community questions about the geese in a statement he issued Friday.

“We understand your concerns regarding the recent accumulation of birds that have died and are visible to the public,” Fritts said. “We want to assure you that we are taking this matter very seriously and are working diligently to address it.”

Roth said the borough reported their bird deaths to multiple government entities, including the Monmouth County Department of Public Works, the Monmouth County Health Department, the NJ DEP, the Division of Fish & Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Though the USDA told the borough that they sampled Canada geese deaths throughout the state and were attributing massive die-offs to bird flu, Roth said the borough does not know if the USDA sampled in their area.

According to NJ DEP Spokesman Larry Hajna, the USDA’s Animal Plant & Health Inspection Service and DEP Fish & Wildlife received reports of various dead wild birds in Monmouth County last week and are currently working together to collect and safely dispose of the carcasses.

While these birds may be tested for bird flu, Hajna said it is too early to verify if this was the cause of death.

“We also recognize that this is a statewide issue,” Fritts said. “The governing body, borough administrator, and I are actively expressing our concerns to the Monmouth County Commissioners, who are working to address similar situations in other municipalities. Ultimately, the State of New Jersey needs to establish clear and consistent protocols for responding to the bird flu outbreak.”

The current strain of bird flu, H5N1, also known as avian influenza, is suspected to have caused localized deaths of multiple wild birds, predominantly snow geese and Canada geese, in parts of New Jersey since the end of December, according to the state DEP, which is responsible for tracking the spread in wild birds.

The last confirmation of H5N1-related deaths in wild birds in New Jersey was in April 2024, the DEP said.

More than 140 sick or dead snow geese and Canada geese (plus lower numbers of raptors and other avian scavengers) have been reported from more than 30 locations throughout the state, according to the DEP.

Clusters of five birds or more have been reported in Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, Salem and Warren counties, officials said. Of these wild birds, 11 have tested positive, though the DEP is awaiting confirmation from the federal government.

Though cases of H5N1 have been reported in animals, there are no reported cases of human infection of H5N1 in New Jersey, the DEP said.

Additionally, the US Center for Disease Control & Prevention has declared that the H5N1 outbreak is primarily an animal health issue, Hajna said, and poses low risk to public health.

To ensure that everyone remains safe, borough officials are urging residents to avoid any interaction with the geese and to not attempt to remove or dispose of the geese themselves.

If you find any geese, you can report your findings to Borough Hall at 609-259-3151.

DEP Fish & Wildlife is recommending the following safety measures for the general public:

• Avoid direct contact with wild birds; observe them from a distance
• Avoid unprotected contact with wild or domestic birds that appear sick or have died
• Only eat or drink milk or dairy products made from pasteurized milk and avoid feeding pets raw milk or dairy products. Raw (unpasteurized) milk or dairy products can contain germs that make people and pets sick
• Cook poultry, eggs and beef to appropriate internal temperatures before consumption
• Review information from the CDC for specific groups and take additional precautions, including wearing PPE if you may be in contact with infected or potentially infected birds, dairy cows, or other animals.

Occurrences of avian influenza can be tracked here. For further guidance or information on H5N1, you can click here.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect further information about the number of geese discovered.