Animal Services reminding residents to discard or recycle fishing line after duck’s severe injury

The Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is reminding residents to properly dispose of fishing line after a duck was recently injured at the Rancho Santa Margarita Lake.

The center was called by people at the lake who spotted the duck with a large visible wound. When animal services officers arrived and eventually rescued the duck, they determined the wound was caused by fishing line wrapped around the bird, making the injury worse each day. 
 
Fortunately, the duck was treated by the Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County, which donated the services to successfully treat the bird that will soon return to the lake.  Unfortunately, though, many birds, turtles and marine mammals are injured or killed each year from becoming tangled in fishing line, hooks and tackle that have been improperly disposed of along beaches or thrown from boats into the water. 
 
Here are some things you can do to make sure animals are not harmed by used fishing lines:

• Always cut fishing line into pieces less than 6 inches long (preferably 1-inch). Dispose of it, along with hooks and tackle, in appropriate covered containers, so it does not blow away or become a risk to wildlife. 
• Recycle fishing line. Place all broken or used line in a Monofilament line recycling bin. If no recycling bins are available, place broken or used fishing line that has been cut into pieces in a lidded trash can. 
• Monofilament fishing line is recyclable.
• Volunteer your time to clean up fishing line debris at local beaches. 
• Use biodegradable fishing line that does not have an indefinite life span in the environment.
• Always check gear and terminal tackle. Inspect your gear often to avoid unwanted breaks. Even small amounts of gear in the water can be harmful to wildlife in entangled or ingested.