Since the ghastly beginning of this worldwide plague, almost every reputable virologist has linked Covid-19 to captive animals transmitting the virus to humans. Zoonotic viruses are not new: HN1N1(the swine flu), avian influenza, and the SARS virus was likely from bats.
Allowing landowners to live and raise animals in filth, seas of trash, and worse puts us all at risk. Today in Allegany County, many properties could be deemed hazardous waste sites, yet they go unchallenged. This particular site is located just down the road from one of the true treasures of Allegany County: Alma Pond. In fact, this site, literally sits on the land from which Alma Pond is fed.
Situated in Willing NY, this landowner has literally littered thousands of emptied dairy containers: yogurts, cottage cheese, sour cream type stuff. A large dairy manufacturer in Allegany County is known to give these items away for free after they expire and begin to rot. Clearly the rotten food is the main source of food, and bedding for the pigs, as the debris covers almost every square foot, on both sides of the road.
Willing Town Supervisor Ron Wightman had this to say:
“We were alerted to issues at the pig farm on Stone Dam Rd. Our Code Enforcement Officer is looking into this to determine if there are any remedies available under Town law. In addition the County health department has been notified. “
Stay tuned for more on this disaster and the Town of Willing’s efforts to demand accountability.
