Selected Articles from our newsletter

The C.A.S.H. Courier

ARTICLE from the Summer 2007 Issue

She’s Emily To Us, But “A Nuisance Goose” To Them

Photo by Tony Tye, Post-Gazette
In happier times - geese cross Lake Shore Drive in North Park.

The following is excerpted and summarized from an article by Linda Wilson Fuoco that appeared in the July 18th issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

In early July, in Allegheny County, PA, 272 Canada geese were rounded up by Wildlife Services and County parks personnel and killed. ..

But many people like the geese and have lobbied for their right to live in the park.

Rebecca Reid of Voices for Animals, a local animal rights group was outraged. “We thought we had an agreement.”

County officials had met with group members in May and assured them that nonlethal methods would be used to control the numbers of Canada geese.

Mr. Baechle [Allegheny County Parks Director], said the decision to kill many of the Canada geese “was made by my department and the County administration.”

The slaughtered birds [including Emily] were taken to a meat packing plant and given to food banks if their flesh was deemed safe to eat.

We thank our member, George Nagle, for sending us the article and letter. The letter is so precious because this is the crux of the difference between “us” and “them.” “Emily is an individual,” but “272 Canada geese” are not seen as individuals. Game agencies and government killers do not recognize the value of the individual and we do. While their thinking cannot be changed, their decisions can be.

Contact LOHV at 1-877-LOHV-US7.
LOHV can change this.

Letter to the Editor
by Beth Kubit
They Killed Emily

According to the Post-Gazette Editorial, the county was right to thin the goose flock. To them, Emily was just a public nuisance, and should be killed.

Emily is a Canada Goose whom I rescued last year and nursed back to health. I live in North Park, which is right at the Lake. I knew nothing about geese before helping Emily. After spending so much time with her, I learned how intelligent, affectionate and trusting a goose can be. I have no doubt that the bond we developed would have lasted for life.
It was so rewarding to see Emily healthy again. She would come to visit me every day, and I looked forward to seeing her. She even recognized my car.

Dan Onorato said that, “No geese will be killed,” so I believed Emily was safe. If I had known that he would go back on his word, I would have rescued her and taken her to a sanctuary.

I woke up last Wednesday to read that 272 geese were killed at North Park. I ran out looking for Emily. I fearfully drove around the lake searching for her. I didn’t see any geese. They were gone. They killed them all overnight! I waited Thursday and Friday hoping that Emily escaped and would come back to visit me like always. She never came.

Emily may have only been just a public nuisance to the Post Gazette, but I loved her.

Go on to Activism Works: The Howard County, Maryland, Deer Culling Battle
Back to Summer 2007 Issue
Back to C.A.S.H. Courier Article Archive

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