The Official Eddie Update & New Goose ..

[pdpbison]

Good God...

This is one of the most painful things I have heard of...


You know Terry, when I took my little Duck Girl to the large city 'park' here, and was walking with her, her following me of course as they will do...ten or twelve feet back...me watching her out of the corner-of-my-eye...

There were some close calls with how kids or teenagers would run up with sticks to hit her, or, run up and try and do a 'Baseball' slide right into her to show off to their friends.

Or groups of them would gather suddenly from our walking almost near, but as far FROM them as we could, as we weaved around various groups and so on, and they'd surround her and poke at her with sticks, saying "Does it bite?"


Anyway, I intervened every time in a good and timely way...I was clean, simple, economical, and picked her up and moved on...no dialoge, no rebuke or correction...no scolds...no eye-warnings or flashes or anything, just kept going, carrying her when I had to...


I am so sorry...

This is a heartbreaker...


Phil
Las Vegas

[Birdmom4ever]

I continue to be haunted by this story...I keep seeing that beautiful wounded goose in my mind. It probably trusted people for the man to get close enough to hurt it, which only adds to the pain. Every time I look in my gander Romeo's trusting blue eyes I feel sad all over again.

This should serve as a stern warning to people who are tempted to buy cute little ducklings or goslings on a whim. Dumping unwanted waterfowl at the park is no different than dumping your dog or cat alongside the freeway. Domestic geese have had the ability to fly bred out of them and are easy pickings for predators, including the two-legged variety. They are unlikely to find an adequate diet at most parks and can't fly elsewhere to forage. When domestic waterfowl breed at parks they look lovely, yes, but they are always at risk of being hurt or killed or getting sick.

I have a dear friend who has rescued domestic geese for 20 years and the heartbreak she's seen with these lovely creatures is unimaginable. Geese are intelligent, loyal, comical and sensitive. They are also extremely messy and have special dietary and water requirements. They can live up to 30 years, so it's a big commitment.

We've had two geese here in the suburbs for five years and I must admit it's been a challenge, though I did thorough research before buying my goslings and have kept poultry for much of my life. I will not go back on my commitment and they are part of the family, but to be honest, it's not something I'd do again. Unless you have a farm or a lot of land, best to stick with pigeons or doves. Okay, I'll step down off my soapbox now.

[Trees Gray]

Birdmom4ever,

I wish all geese owners were like you. The problem is people don't make that big commitment when obtaining an animal, a duck, a cat, a pigeon. To me they are all pets, and pets are like my own children, to be loved, protected, nurtured, guided, spent loads of time with,feed appropriately... until the end of their natural lives.

People mean well, by taking them to ponds and parks, but the commitment was never there in the beginning. How many animals,pigeons, ducks are in deplorable situations all because "they meant well". Human beings think what THEY THINK is best for the helpless creature,and we know that isn't the case over and over again.

There should be adoption proceedures for all pets as there are for people. I for one will not even think about giving away my birds, if the time ever comes that I am unable to care for them they will only go to a trusted friend.

Treesa

[TAWhatley]

Yes, this was a very tragic and heartbreaking incident. As you can see in the pictures, the young goose is frightened, in pain, and simply cannot understand why her legs don't work anymore .. why she can no longer even sit without flipping over on her side or back.

Unfortunately, something like this will probably happen again. The population of domestic geese at this park has been allowed to get out of hand again and once there are "hordes" of geese begging from people, somebody is going to strike out at them.

Several years ago the goose count had gotten to around 60 at this park, and a physician filed a complaint with the County Health Department that conditions were unsanitary because of the geese (guess he failed to notice the dangerous human caused trash like hooks, fishing line, sinkers, broken glass, etc). Fortunately I was called and asked to come and remove as many geese as I could and find them homes .. the alternative being a lethal removal of the geese. Myself and my trusty group of goose wranglers got about three dozen in two separate trips. After that, the geese were too wary to be caught .. but it was enough to keep things safe for them for a good while.

If you look at the Scenes From Laguna Niguel pics, you will see that the goose count is again dangerously high, so it won't be long before another complaint is lodged, and we'll be faced with trying to capture a bunch more geese and find them homes.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi Terry,


Well...if I lived down your way there, I'd sure be happy to be a private, seargent or leiutennant in your 'Army'...

...sigh...

Thanks for all your endless good work...


Phil
Las Vegas

[Birdmom4ever]

As Terry says, it's an on-going problem at too many parks. Educating people can help, but what it really takes is to change people's hearts and sadly, we can't do that. Only God can. Too many people view animals as nothing more than objects, possessions to be disposed of as they see fit. They have no respect for life.

I can't imagine how my Romeo would feel if I dumped him at a park. He's been with me since he was one day old and is completely bonded to me. It's not always convenient to have geese in the back yard, but I would never betray his trust by giving him up. I don't think I could even give him away to a good home because I'd miss him terribly and I'm sure he would feel betrayed and bewildered.

My goose-rescuing friend cares for many geese, but she has a special companion gander who was abandoned at a park in San Francisco where he was mauled by dogs or raccoons. He survived, though he carries one wing low and limps. He was completely imprinted on humans, obviously raised by someone and then dumped when he got too big and messy. And he's just the friendliest, spunkiest goose. It's hard to imagine someone leaving him that way.

I got some of my fancy pigeons after they were dumped in a park. Others were left at animals shelters. I have a canary and finch that were confiscated by the SPCA because they were severely neglected. It goes on and on and it just makes me so sad. You can only save so many and the problem is huge. Terry, may God bless you for doing what you do. You're an angel to those creatures.

"A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel." -Proverbs 12:10

[TAWhatley]

Thanks Phil and Cathy. It's nice to know there are lots of "birds of a feather" here on Pigeon-Talk to ease the pain of some of these ugly situations.

I was also justed advised of 35 geese at a private home in San Dimas that urgently need to be placed. Yet another situation of allowing uncontrolled reproduction with pet birds .. now there are more than 50 and the 35 have to go ASAP. I have no idea at the moment (and neither does Bart) where we can place this many coming in all at one time. I guess the good news is that the owners of the geese are willing to donate some feed or a little bit of money towards the care of the birds while we look for good homes for them.

Terry

[Birdmom4ever]

I wish I knew someone who could take them. My friend doesn't have her own property and struggles to care for a large flock on public land, so she's not an option. This is so sad. It would be an awfully long drive in the heat with geese, but I'll ask around anyway, if you want me to.

People always ask me why I take our goose's eggs away every spring. This is why!! Someone even suggested I let her raise some goslings and then take them to the park and leave them. Gr-r-r-r

[Trees Gray]

Terry,

I'm so sorry to hear about all the geese, seems like you are always there to take the burden of their suffering and finding homes for them. Humans have birth control, for all the same reasons, so what is so difficult in people understanding there to be a need for animals and birds too.

Can't figure out how people can't just take eggs, that is the most humane thing that could be done, I do that with my birds, and replace with dummies. It is an easy, and takes but a few seconds, and saves them aggravation from an overcrowded situation, and has enabled them to live happy lives and have lots of room and quality care. I would also have over 300 pigeons if I didn't remove the eggs!

Also, what really gets me, just because animals aren't human, people have this notion that they don't suffer or feel pain! Or they don't want to think about it out of guilt or to passify themselves. Animals and birds feel pain and suffering (obviously from misstreatment) from neglect, stupidity, and from having babies over and over again. They are creatures with flesh and blood and a heartbeat, and they do feel pain!

Treesa

[Lin Hansen]

Hi Treesa,

Here, here! Very well said.

Thanks,
Linda

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Everyone,

Great comments and lots to ponder for those that don't see our fellow creatures for the wonderful beings they all are. The animals were here long before us and they deserve respect. We have to share our world with them and they should be treated as comrads. It's really a shame that so many people don't value the lives of animals and birds enough, protect and care for them as only we are able to do as top "dog" on the planet. It's a frightening thought that someday in the future, many more animals are going to suffer at the hands of people as our populations increase worldwide and animals are squeezed more into small spaces that are left in this ever expanding urban concrete jungle.