Venice Ducks

* The profile on Venice (July 4) misstates that the Venice ducks, killed by the Department of Fish and Game in 1993,”were infected with a deadly virus.” We “animal lovers” were not trying to save diseased ducks. We passionately opposed the kill because this country’s leading experts related to us the short-lived significance of the virus.

Months later we received the lab reports from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Research Center in Madison, Wis., which confirmed our suspicions: All of the ducks killed and tested were found to be “negative for duck virus enteritis.” We shared this important information with the press but it was never reported.

BILL DYER

Venice