Vultures congregating near dog in Greensboro cause concern

NORTH CAROLINA -- Guilford County Animal Control officers retrieved a dog from a Greensboro home after people reported seeing dozens of black vultures sitting in trees over it, officials said.

The pit bull, in the backyard of a home in the 2800 block of Phillips Avenue, was in good shape, said Animal Control Officer Eric Mann.

An officer took the dog to the animal shelter to prevent the birds from harming it, Mann said.

The officer left a notification on the home’s front door and the dog’s owners contacted Animal Control and said they intend to retrieve the dog, Mann said.

The dog likely was in no danger, said Jean Chamberlain, a wildlife rehabilitator based in the King/Tobaccoville area.

This poor dog looks terrified

“Typically, dogs scare vultures away, so this is kind of strange,” said Chamberlain, who works with owls, hawks and vultures.

Black vultures occasionally attack small, weak animals, like skunks or young livestock, according to several websites about birds.

But they mainly eat carrion and will often scavenge in landfills and dumpsters.

Chamberlain said they’ll even eat dog food, which might be what attracted them to the Phillips Avenue home.

The home’s residents told Animal Control that the birds began to congregate on Christmas Day. The residents believe there is a dead animal attracting the birds from a neighboring wooded area, Mann said.

(Greensboro News & Record - ‎Dec 31, 2014‎)