When the overpopulation of waterfowl at Memorial Gardens in Odessa became an issue that started affecting Councilman Dewey Bryant’s business, a family from Coke County offered to adopt some of the geese and ducks. You can read what they had to say in this article published on Your Basin. An organization known as the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue also offered to take them in place of having them euthanized but their offer was also refused, you can read their Facebook post here.
Councilman Dewey Bryant decided to move forward with the euthanasia of approximately 90 geese and ducks. The Texas Wildlife Service used an oral tranquilizer that was put into bread and after the ducks were asleep they were then moved to a warehouse and gassed to death.
A petition was started before the animals were put to death that read, “Dewey Bryant’s complaint about nuisance waterfowl at his business and subsequent abuse of power as a politician shows his lack of regard for the citizens he is supposed to represent. Dewey Bryant’s abuse of power is responsible for our city’s rapid response involving Texas Parks and Wildlife to deal with the overpopulation of waterfowl at the Memorial Gardens Park duck pond. As a result of this abuse of power, Texas Parks and Wildlife will be executing around 90 ducks and geese to control the population of waterfowl in the park. I am starting this petition to ask for the Resignation of Dewey Bryant as The City Councilman for the City of Odessa Place 2. We cannot have people in political office who are more concerned with the needs of their business than the needs of those whom they are in office to represent.”
You can read further details about the issue on NewsWest9 and the original petition here.