The Goose Whisperer

Sorry about the post title; it’s the best I can do at 6:30 a.m. Anyway, this story does deal with a goose – a one-legged goose at that.

Earlier this month, someone noticed that one of the three geese that have taken up residence at the ponds had an injured leg. One of our neighbors arranged to have the ailing goose netted and taken to a local vet clinic, where it was determined that the leg needed to be amputated.

The procedure was successful, although an infection complicated things a bit. After a stay at the clinic, the goose was returned to the pond on the afternoon of June 13th. I captured the triumphant release on video:

It’s probably safe to say that many of us in the neighborhood have mixed emotions about the geese living at the pond. They make an awful mess, but they’re also fun to watch. I doubt that there’s any ecological benefit to having them around.

Perhaps the best storyline here – besides the assistance of an injured animal – is that the neighborhood rallied around the goose and contributed enough to not only cover all the medical expenses, but to also enable the beginnings of a fund that will be available for any future such uses. Many thanks to Deena Kargl and Melissa Tomlin for taking the initiative to get treatment for the goose and to mobilize a response in the neighborhood.