Our Govt is Destroying Geese Families
Articles and Media Coverage From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)

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Our Govt is Destroying Geese Families

FROM Kiley Blackman, TheDodo.com
November 17, 2015

In 2012, News 12 reported the fact that, earlier that morning, Wildlife Services (a branch of the USDA) came secretly to the Sprain Golf Course in Yonkers, NY and slaughtered almost 500 geese and their babies — without any prior notice to the community, public discussion, etc.

Wildlife Services has been killing millions upon millions of animals for over 100 years.

Since that time we've learned that this is the norm: Wildlife Services gives no prior notice to the community as it conducts its own highly controversial "war on wildlife," and this is common practice all over the country. WS operates with no oversight and no regulation, profiting over $20 million per year by doing these "culls," at golf courses, parks, and for private businesses such as ranchers.

The NY Times did an expose of their practices, calling them "Agriculture's Misnamed Agency." Citizens don't know who to complain to when they find out after a cull — they desperately contact animal advocacy groups, the press, their elected officials, heartbroken because they are too late and the killing is complete. After learning what was going on in secret, we met with Senator George Latimer and asked him to draft a bill that would help make this agency's operations available to the public before they conduct slaughters — and add a requirement that they inform prospective clients about humane alternatives. (Bill S.2600/A.7067)

Geese are models for strong family values.

Canada geese are very loyal and protective to their family. They will put themselves in danger to protect the mate and their young. A goose will not leave an injured family member, and will guard the injured goose until he recovers or dies. Many people enjoy seeing the fuzzy babies — always with the parents hovering nearby. As their habitats are destroyed by urban sprawl, massive golf courses, etc, geese families have settled in to life in the "concrete jungle."

Complaints about Wildlife Services pour in.

The media, congress, watchdog agencies and others are keeping WS under intense scrutiny:

  • "Wildlife Services is a federal agency that operates in secrecy, using brutal traps, poison and aerial gunning to kill thousands of animals, with accidental victims that include federally protected species, family pets and injured people." Sacramento Bee, Apr. 28, 2012
  • "USDA-Wildlife Services dog killing in Oregon points to deep problems." NRDC Bloghttp://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/mwaage/usda-wildlife_services_dog_kil.html
  • "Congressmen ask Inspector General to make audit of Wildlife Services a top priority." Letter from Peter DeFazio and John Campbell, Sept. 20, 2013
  • "USDA Inspector General will investigate Wildlife Services after accusations of reckless predator control, abuse of animals, and failure to account for costs." Los Angeles Times, Jan. 4, 2014.
  • "There's a Reason you've never heard of this wildlife killing agency." Reveal News
  • "Animal Torture, Abuse called a 'Regular Practice' within federal wildlife agency." Fox News
  • "Government's War on Wildlife Exposed." CNN Headline News, Oct 11, 2013
  • "'Wildlife Services' scare tactics in Urban and Suburban Portland." Predator Defense Institute

"This agency has become an outlet for people to abuse animals for no particular reason." — Rep. John Campbell, R-California

Wildlife Services' killing devices reads like a "who's who" of torture: neck snares, steel-jaw leghold traps, M-44 sodium cyanide — they'll drop a phosphorus bomb into a coyote cub's den and cover its opening with dirt. To perform geese slaughter, Wildlife Services typically comes in during the molting season when birds are flightless and can't escape; they bait the birds, corral them and their infants, and shove them into crates. The birds are then either gassed onsite or at another location. Gassing especially is a lengthy, painful death. Bystanders report hearing the birds gasping for air and beating their wings against the sides of the crates in a futile effort to escape.

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WESTCHESTER4GEESE is an adjunct of ANIMAL DEFENDERS OF WESTCHESTER. We advocate against all forms of animal abuse and exploitation, including hunting, experimentation, fur, circuses and rodeos -  https://www.facebook.com/Westchester4Geese