Government

Update: $535 Fine Rescinded In Baby Bird Rescue

Earlier today, The Blaze reported on the odd story about a Fredericksburg, VA mom who received a $535 ticket from the State Police after her 11-year-old daughter Skylar, rescued a lost baby woodpecker from the family cat.

The story garnered considerable attention and it is possible that the media spotlight may have helped bring some sanity to the situation. MSNBC.com is reporting that the legal problems facing the Capo family over the bird rescue have evaporated.

From MSNBC.com:

“The citation is null and void,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesman Bill Butcher told msnbc.com on Tuesday. “We’ve rescinded it.”

“They [the agent and state trooper] had gone to inquire about the health of the woodpecker,” Butcher said. “At that point, they determined that no further action was necessary.”

Despite this, Butcher said, the citation was processed unintentionally. He added that the agency has apologized to Capo and will send her a formal letter explaining the clerical error.

Case closed.

Comments (92)

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  • Dougral Supports Israel
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:41pm

    Never involve the government in anything unless you have to. They are not your friend.

    Report Post »  
    • chubby
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:50pm

      Clerical error? My A$$!
      The real question here is who ratted the little girl off? A state Trooper and a Fish and Wildlife employee does not just “happen” on to a little girl taking care of a baby bird.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 8:39pm

      If you read the original post, they stopped in Lowe’s on the way home, and a Wildlife and game officer happened to be in there. They had to bring the bird inside because it was too hot in the vehicle. She noticed it and realized it was an engangered species. They went home and set it free, calling the office and telling them they did. They were told, that’s the right thing to do, but this woman showed up a couple weeks later with the Sherrif’s deputy.

      the fault lies in the wildlife and game department for getting their wires crossed and not telling the lady problem solved, bird was released. Who knows how many animals are on the endangered list. Helping them one would think would be better than letting the cat eat it.

      Report Post »  
  • Pattondog
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:37pm

    so take away the instant communication of technology, bet you dollars to donuts, if theirs much of difference anymore that htis would of gone to court and at a min the would have to pay court cost for their aehmmm …clerical error.
    still want to know who called the cops on them my gosh get a life.

    Report Post »  
  • Steel Awesome
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:26pm

    I’m guessing that Obama signing off on the debt limit increase had something to do with this.

    Report Post » Steel Awesome  
  • junkmaninohio
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:26pm

    Let me get this straight. A State Trooper had to go and inquire about the health of a baby woodpecker bird. Then a $535 ticket was issued to this family. This is why America, and the morons who run it, are the laughing stock of the entire world.

    Report Post »  
  • blazingaway
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:13pm

    At least this wrong was made right.
    But this is just like these people, they can never just admit they were wrong, stupid and out of line.
    They always have and excuse to justify what happened.
    Well if their system is broke, if it isn’t working right then lets just shut the whole damn thing down.
    I’m not interested in fixing it. I want to save some money, time and heart aches.

    Report Post » blazingaway  
  • yougottabekidding
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:11pm

    Nobody has hit on the one question that needs to be answered! If this person thought the bird was in danger why did she wait 2 weeks to act? The ladies sure do not look menacing or dangerous to me. And if there was such a need to affect a rescue the police could have been called now! After all they could have taken it home and kept it from wood! All this was is some coward saying I’m gunna get them and all my peers will know me. Guess what!

    Report Post »  
  • randy
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:10pm

    Despite this, Butcher said, the citation was processed unintentionally.

    Damn Liars! They just got caught, that’s all…

    Report Post » randy  
  • Obama Snake Oil Co
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:55pm

    So if I got this right then here is a situation I called Wildlife here in NC about. I told them I saw, along with witnesses, an American Eagle dip down and catch an undersize flounder from the beach here on the coast of NC. I told them first, the eagle had no license to fish that area, he caught an undersize fish, that is a hefty fine and the eagle used fishing tackle, not recognized by the law of the state. The last thing I told him is the eagle pooped in the water which is forbidden by the EPA laws. I told him finally, I knew where the eagle lived and I wanted him arrested along with his family since they helped eat the illegally sized fish……the guy was speechless! I was going to tell him the bird didn’t pay taxes, was living on someone elses land….His reponse; Call NC Game fisheries……

    Report Post » Obama Snake Oil Co  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:59pm

      Hahahaha! Thanks for the laugh. With all the dire news floating around, I could use one!

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • Kiti45
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:14pm

      ROFLMAO very good, thanx ;)

      Report Post »  
    • chazman
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:16pm

      $535 bucks? Geez! Who comes up with this crap?

      Report Post »  
    • etshoney
      Posted on August 3, 2011 at 1:40am

      THAT WAS GREAT. i’M STILL LAUGHING! i LIVE IN RALEIGH AND DEAL WITH THESE IDIOTS REGULARLY. THANKS!

      Report Post »  
  • Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:54pm

    okay, I will… “ the agency has apologized to Capo and will send her a formal letter explaining the clerical error”….. Clerical error? bwahahahahahahaha….

    Report Post »  
  • nightbird
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:41pm

    Who was the busy body witch that started this in the first place? We want a name!!!

    Report Post »  
    • Fly Old Glory 24/7 365
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:53pm

      you want a name? now that is funny. What ya gonna do about it? Geez…

      Report Post »  
    • david.peacock
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:21pm

      I’m with Nightbird…it’s time names are named. People…even government people….will stop acting stupid when they know that their actions will see the light of day…no more anonymity for this idiots!!

      Report Post »  
    • Kiti45
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:23pm

      Not to do anything about it, but sure would be nice to know who the noisy know-it-all who turn this family in. We need to shine the light on all to bring out the truth.

      Report Post »  
  • Servant Of YHVH
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:37pm

    I’m just wondering if they really meant it or if they were just giving out hogwash because of the media build up. Most importantly though is that this stupid incident is hopefully over for this family.

    Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
    • MidWestMom
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:53pm

      I’m betting they caved because of all the media coverage

      Report Post »  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:12pm

      @ MidWestMom who Posted: “I’m betting they caved because of all the media coverage”

      I figured that was the case, too. Bureaucrats seldom back off from stupidity like this, unless forced to by publicity. We had a similar situation with the water dept. here that had some faulty meters that were underbilling. They found out about it about 2-3 years after the fact, and presented several people with $10,000 water bills and demanded immediate payment. They would have gone after these people with both feet, too, if the newspaper hadn’t got hold of the story and shamed them into being more reasonable about it. That’s why a free press is so important–and why our leftist, Obama-worshiping mainstream media is so disturbing. Just consider the millions of people who watch that drivel and believe what they say!

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 8:43pm

      I guess I’m lucky. I got a really low electric bill, and the next day they were out replacing my meter for free because it was broken. They did fix it pretty fast, like the day after the meter was read, and before I actually received the bill.

      Report Post »  
  • commonsenseguy
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:29pm

    way to go to all those who called or sent emails to these idiots, now we must turn our attention to the government and the communist who are in it.

    Report Post »  
  • JLGunner
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:23pm

    We had a similar incident here in Florida when an Osprey nest was on top of a floating crane. The owner called to have the nest removed so as not to hurt the birds. He was told he could not do a thing till the young birds left the nest. Thousands of dollars in business lost to protect a couple of birds. We have lost our minds.

    Report Post » JLGunner  
    • Bluefish49
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:34pm

      So the moral of this story is just do it and don’t ask questions….

      Report Post »  
    • MonroeFan
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:41pm

      Since common sense has been banned in official circles, the solution is to bag, bury, and tell no one. In Central California cougars are protected and killing livestock. These laws are just giving brainless gov workers authority over something in which they have no clue.

      Report Post »  
    • IdahoGal
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:09pm

      Its called the Tripple S. Shoot, Shovel, Shut Up

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:17pm

      I told my mom about this. She has a former boss (who is a doctor) who had a woodpecker problem (in Missouri). The woodpeckers were destroying the underside of his roof trying to get in and nest. He had been firing NEAR them with a pellet gun, not actually hitting them, and was told to cease and desist (however you spell that, bad day)…he asked if they were going to pay for his roof. No response.

      Report Post »  
  • banjarmon
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:23pm

    I want to know …How did that woodpecker taste???

    Report Post » banjarmon  
  • wildbluyonder11
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:22pm

    Good to see they came to their senses. This is the type of thing that, if it continues, will increasingly receive more and more backlash from the public at large. I think that we Americans, in general, are tired of being pushed around a government that has long forgotten that they work for us, not the other way around.

    Report Post »  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:39pm

      I don’t think they “came to their senses” at all. That is pretty much a physical impossibility for bureaucratic morons like this. They were forced to back off by unfavorable publicity. Otherwise, they’d still be “enforcing” this regulation with all the bureaucratic power they could muster, like the idiots they are. I think it’s a job requirement that you be an idiot who is devoid of common sense to be hired for a government position. At least that seems to be the case with the ones I have dealt with.

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
    • gvblaze
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 6:01pm

      Came to their senses? Give me a break! The didn’t come to their senses. They got beat back. When are you people going to realize that your governments are BROKE. They will get money anyway they can. …issue a stupid ticket here or a victimless fine there, so be it. They need that money and they need it now, and, after all, they think its theirs ANYWAY.

      Clerical error? No. Media beat down? Yes. They’d do it again in a heartbeat if they could keep it quiet. But, the public is wise to you, you greedy criminal thieves. BACK OFF!

      Report Post » gvblaze  
  • Cherynn
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:22pm

    They dropped the bird case so they could throw the full wieght of the government at the family transporting snakes on thier windshield. You have to prioritise your criminals you know.

    Report Post » Cherynn  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:35pm

      That was Obama slithering around on the windshield doing his usual terrorizing of American citizens.

      Report Post »  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:21pm

    The lesson here boys and girls: Remember, if you see a protected species on your property, kill it immediately and dispose of it, in the trash, or in your cat’s belly, or else you could be found guilty of possessing that wildlife. If they find pot on your property, you are guilt of possession. Same with protected species. Every one of these animals that trespasses on your property must be exterminated, or else you have willfully allowed them into your possession.

    Word.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
    • code green
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:27pm

      shoot shovel and shut up

      Report Post »  
    • lemmings4obama
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:33pm

      So you’re telling me I have to smoke all the weed in my crawlspace tonight by myself and not tell anyone? Can someone please email me some Bob Marley jams, this is going to be tough.

      Report Post » lemmings4obama  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:56pm

      Daylight hours will be decreasing soon.

      Report Post »  
  • JLGunner
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:18pm

    This is government out of control. This little girl did something out of the kindness of her own heart. She should have been given an award for showing compassion and feeling. Now her mom might go to jail?!?!?! What, will the state take custody of her kid while she doing time?!?!?! Leave people alone!!!! there was no crime here, just a lack of good judgment by the law enforcement official. Does anyone else see a pattern of increasing opression here in the US? We need to rally around this family.

    Report Post » JLGunner  
    • Captain Crunch
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:45pm

      Just think of the life lesson this little girl has learned at such a young age. You’ll be punished for being kind, don’t tell anyone anything, be secretive and hide what you do, be afraid of law enforcement, don’t trust the government….sounds like the same lessons a lot of us adults are learning. Thank you Obama and all the rest of you gestapo agencies trying to terrorize us.

      Report Post »  
    • hamanns
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:08pm

      Yes Captain, I grew up in communist country, and that is how we behaved. You cant winn with brainless government, so you do what you must, as quietly as you can. And watch your shadow.
      Sadly, I have moved to USA to be free from opression.

      Report Post »  
  • biohazard23
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:15pm

    But if she had been wearing a burqa everything would have been kosher. Heh heh heh….. :)

    Report Post » biohazard23  
  • American Soldier (Separated)
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:14pm

    Clerical error? It wasn’t like a traffic camera that just takes your picture and sends you a ticket automatically. A real life, state trooper stood there and wrote out the ticket. How is that a clerical error?

    Report Post » American Soldier (Separated)  
    • commonsenseguy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:34pm

      i was thinking the same thing, he wrote the ticket ,then the next day comes back for a follow up to check to see how the bird was doing, sounds like he took a ass chewing an some one with commonsense told he to go get the ticket back and apologize.man i bet that made him look like the ass he really is.

      Report Post »  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:29pm

      Barney Fife lives.

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
  • afishfarted
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:14pm

    And if it wasn’t for the “light” being shined on this crap, it would have gone to prosecution. What esle is being done under the cover of darkenss? And what have they gotten away recently? Insanity is the norm in government today

    Report Post »  
  • Secessionista
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:11pm

    You stimulus tax dollars at work! Perhaps they should have taken the daughter from the mother for this unspeakable act of horror.

    Report Post » Secessionista  
  • oriondma05
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:11pm

    Good thing the little girl wasn’t carrying a concealed handgun, the Statie might have flipped his lid on her.

    Report Post » oriondma05  
  • SON OF JEFFERSON
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:11pm

    And this govt. is capable of health care ,defense, etc. please

    Report Post »  
  • Kansas Mom
    Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:10pm

    Good..common sense wins.

    Report Post » Kansas Mom  
    • Teaparty-grammy
      Posted on August 2, 2011 at 4:35pm

      Yes, but only because media publicity FORCED the bureaucrats to adopt a commonsense approach. And the ONLY reason this story saw the light of day was because of the “awwww ” factor of the kid rescuing a birdie. Otherwise, you can bet the story would never see the light of day, and they would still be after this family. I repreat, THIS is why a free, independent press is so important–and the mainstream media that has completely sold out to the leftistd should be held accountable for treason IMO–they are spreading lies and distortions about everything that happens and everything the government does. How are people supposed to make good decisions, with that kind of information to go on? The media are assisting in every way they can with the destruction of our country. Is this not treason? We don‘t need no stinkin’ state-run media!!!

      Report Post » Teaparty-grammy  
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