A discovery along DeKalb County’s South River Trail has prompted an investigation into how 34 dead animals came to be near Cottonwood Drive and Fargo Place. CBS News Atlanta reported that the animals were found around 10 a.m. Saturday and included 28 pigeons, three goats, two chickens and one duck.
What investigators know—and do not know
County animal enforcement services responded, removed the animals and disposed of them, according to the report. Authorities have not publicly identified a cause of death, said how long the animals had been at the site or established whether they were left there all at once. No suspect, citation or charge has been announced.
Why disposal methods matter
The Georgia Department of Agriculture’s livestock biosecurity guidelines recommend that livestock producers prepare carcass-disposal plans covering approved burial sites, transportation routes and composting or incineration facilities, while following Georgia’s Dead Animal Disposal Act. That guidance provides regulatory context for the case, but it does not show how the animals on the trail died or whether the incident violated a specific rule.
The department also says its Livestock & Poultry section regulates poultry sales and exhibitions and ensures that poultry disposal pits are environmentally safe, according to its poultry program information. Those statewide responsibilities help explain why disposal procedures can involve more than simply removing carcasses, but they do not identify which agency will ultimately handle any enforcement question in this case.
Investigation remains open
For now, the central questions remain who brought the animals to the South River Trail, when they were placed there and what caused their deaths. County officials have not released additional findings, leaving the circumstances of the discovery unresolved.
