Bird Flu Confirmed In Canada Geese Found Dead In Westchester Park

TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT, NY — A park in Westchester County will remain closed after tests confirmed that dead geese were infected with bird flu.

Officials in the Mount Pleasant say they received confirmation that the Canada geese found dead last week at a pond in Carroll Park tested positive for Avian Flu. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) found two separate strains of the disease commonly known as Bird Flu.

Based on the confirmation, Carroll Park in Thornwood will remain closed until further notice.

SEE ALSO: Westchester Town Orders Park Closed After 12 Dead Canada Geese Found

"The positive results are not surprising considering the presence of the disease being seen in various bird species across New York and other parts of the nation," Mount Pleasant Supervisor Carl Fulgenzi said, "but it is important that we now definitively know what we're dealing with. We will be working closely with the DEC and the Westchester County Health Department in implementing a cleaning protocol for the park."

Mount Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva also urged residents to exercise caution.

"Avian flu is transmissible to humans, and while the number of cases reported to date is relatively low, as the disease continues to spread among bird species, the exposure to humans grows at the same time," Oliva said.

He also recommended that pet owners avoid any areas with goose droppings which carry the disease.

Anyone who finds a dead goose in a Mount Pleasant-owned property is asked to contact the police department at 914-769-1941. Police will arrange to have a wildlife professional remove it. Dead birds found on private property in the town should be reported to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation via the NYSDEC Avian Influenza Reporting Form.

Officials recommended resources to help lessen risks associated with the growing outbreak.

• Westchester County’s Department of Health webpage, Avian Influenza
• Department of Environmental Conservation’s webpage, Avian Influenza - Winter 2025
• DEC Press Release

An outbreak of avian influenza began in the U.S. in early 2024 and has mostly affected wild birds, farmed birds, and dairy cows. Contact with an infected bird puts people at risk of exposure. Those at the highest risk are workers on dairy/poultry farms and in culling operations.

SEE ALSO:

• Hochul Orders Westchester Live Bird Markets Closed Over Outbreak
• Bird Flu Kills Almost All Chickens, Ducks On A Hudson Valley Farm
• Bird Flu Found In Wild Canada Goose In Rockland County Lake
• New York AG James Urges Consumers To Report Egg Price Gouging
• Wild Goose Positive For Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Locally
• Risk Of Avian Flu Remains Low, But Health Officials Urge Precautions
• Community Flocks To Help LI Duck Farm Devastated By Avian Bird Flu