400 Canada Geese Euthanized At Mishawaka Parks, Authorities Concerned Nuisance Water Fowl Droppings Becoming A Health Hazard

A growing gaggle of Canada geese have made the parks in an Indiana town their home, forcing city officials to find a way to slim down their numbers and lessen the amount of toxic feces that gathers within the parks. Rather than choosing to trap and relocate the geese, officials chose to euthanize 400 of the Canada geese.

Mishawaka city officials became concerned at the growing number of Canada geese that were congregating at the city parks. Their aggressive nature made it difficult for visitors to enjoy the parks without fear of being attacked or ran off by the geese. In addition, the piles of feces in the grassy areas, as well as the sidewalks and paths, posed a potential toxic hazard for the park goers and other wildlife in the area.

Faced with the decision regarding the removal and relocation of the Canada geese, city officials decided that euthanasia was the best and most humane option to remove the Canada geese.

The city of Mishawaka decided to deal with its Canadian geese “problem” by killing over 400. Why not relocate? https://t.co/lx2gZNl9US

— VegMichiana (@MichianaVeggies) July 30, 2016

Mayor Dave Wood spoke out on the issue, claiming that the decision to remove the geese originated from citizen complaints, according to the South Bend Tribune. Despite the outrage from community members, Mayor Wood states that he has only heard positive praise from the citizens.

The influx of Canada geese is thought to be blamed on the communities desire to feed the geese and ducks at the parks. Although there is no law against feeding the geese, Mayor Wood states that it is discouraged.

“We discourage citizens from feeding the geese.”

Many citizens feel that the Canada geese are just as much a part of the Mishawaka community as the people that live in it, claiming that Mayor Wood should be ashamed for allowing the Canada geese to be killed, according to WNDU TV.

“The city of Mishawaka should be ashamed of themselves.”

Some community members do applaud the city’s effort to lessen the Canada geese numbers, claiming they did not feel safe visiting the parks.

“I quit going there for fear of goose poop and being attacked by the roaming hoards [sic] of geese.”

A gaggle of geese has caused the city of Mishawaka such an inconvenience, it took lethal measures to cut down on… https://t.co/atVn7x2yor

— Kasey Chronis (@KChronisWNDU) July 27, 2016

A spokeswoman from the DNR, Megan Dillon, claims that the Canada geese are a nuisance, especially in recent years. Their healthy numbers have created a significant increase in presence of the aggressive geese.

The city hired Critter Control to remove the Canada geese and euthanize them to ensure they would not find their way back. The cost was $25 per goose, resulting in a $10,000 invoice for the services. Mayor Woods feels it is a small price to pay to make the parks safer for families and kids once again.

Since the Canada geese were removed and killed, there has been a significant decrease in their presence at the parks. Although the sidewalks are still dotted with feces, they are now able to be walked on without much fear of contaminating shoes with the toxic waste. In addition, the decreased presence of the Canada geese allows the remaining geese to spread out, making it safer for community members to walk without fear of being bitten or attacked.

Mayor Woods spoke out to the community regarding the Canada Geese decision, claiming that it was a last resort.

“This was a measure of last resort. We didn’t enter into it lightly; however, when it becomes a matter of public safety, we’re going to err on the side of our residents’ health and well-being.”

[Image via JBKC/Shutterstock]