PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — It appears Providence College basketball sensation Dawn the Duck will not be welcomed back to the Amica Mutual Pavilion following its appearance this week at the season opener.
AMPand Rhode Island Convention Center general manager Larry Lepore said the duck would be barred from the arena.
“As much as some people might have thought it was cute, there were other people that we got responses back from the public thinking that it was kind of cruel to the animal,” Lepore told Sports Team 10’s Frank Carpano.
Lepore said he believes documents were presented to an employee who was trying to do the right thing, but should have called a supervisor.
He said the duck’s social media fame gave his staff the opportunity to discuss the law with state officials, and they have a better handle of what the law entails.
“We checked the law, we talked to individuals, we even talked to a veterinarian who says it’s really not the environment for a duck to be in,” Lepore said.
Dawn’s owner Justin Taymes previously told Sports Team 10 that he planned to bring Dawn to every home game, including Saturday night against Stonehill College.
He registered it as a service animal.
“We’re going to make contact with the individual to tell him that he’s certainly welcome back, but his pet is not,” Lepore said.
Lepore said the AMP is within its rights to refuse entrance.
Lepore also said he believes there is a health aspect to the ban, as even a healthy duck could carry bacteria.
