Hands Around the Lake
Saturday, March 26th, 12:30pm, Prospect Park Lake, Brooklyn NY
— Enter at Vanderbilt Street & Prospect Park SW
Call Off the Slaughter & Harassment of Canada Geese
Join Friends of Animals, New York State Senator Eric Adams, Council Member Letitia James, and concerned New Yorkers as we join hands around Prospect Park Lake, standing together in our demand for protection for Canada geese and the animal life of New York City. A press conference will precede the rally around the lake. Edita Birnkrant, NY Director for Friends of Animals, will be one of the speakers.
“We are New Yorkers who appreciate and celebrate Canada geese and demand an end to the policies that kill, harass, or chase away animals from our parks,” said Birnkrant.
Friends of Animals has held high-profile protests against the tormenting of geese for the past few years. The group rallied at the Bloomberg Mansion after USDA agents’ pre-dawn gassing of 368 Canada geese and goslings in Prospect Park. The incident shocked the Brooklyn community and emptied the park of the geese beloved by many.
The group presented Mayor Bloomberg’s staff with its Canada Goose Habitat Modification Manual, written by ornithologist Donald S. Heintzelman, containing practical examples of long-term landscaping policies to deter geese from urban and suburban settings where they are perceived as problematic.
All told, Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the gassing of 1,676 geese in city parks throughout the five boroughs last summer. A USDA report revealed that 89% of geese observed at sites throughout New York City and western Nassau have been killed. Geese, of course, rebound. In October 2010 more than 150 geese were back in Prospect Park.
Mayor Bloomberg tries to justify more attacks on geese, claiming they threaten air travel safety. (Smithsonian scientists proved migratory geese were involved in the Hudson River plane crash of 2009—no relation to the targeted resident geese of New York City and western Nassau County parks.) What’s the real issue? Goose droppings are a central matter of concern in the USDA’s report.
New York City recently spent $27.5 million to restore wetlands. Yet the city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to target geese. Said Birnkrant, “That answer is simple: Clean up after geese where the droppings are a bother, and let geese be.” The current slaughter contract with the USDA runs through 30 June 2011—meaning geese and goslings once again must see agents attack them during their molting phase, when they are flightless and helpless to escape.
Desperate to help, some advocates are supporting invasive and traumatic population-control methods such as addling (destroying eggs by shaking, piercing or coating the eggs with oil); and the use of hazing dogs to chase geese from their nests. The end result would still be parks emptied of geese, observes Friends of Animals’ Edita Birnkrant, who states, “Friends of Animals will always oppose these control methods just as we oppose killing.”
“When humans attempt to destroy or addle the eggs and disturb nests, geese do everything in their power to defend their eggs and goslings,” said Birnkrant. “Not only the mothers defend and protect eggs and babies; geese parents care for babies together for prolonged periods. These displays of emotional intelligence complement the wisdom that enables them to adapt and flourish despite the best efforts of humans to terrorize and slaughter them at every turn.”
Join us around the lake for a lively and spirited rally and press conference as we celebrate and urge protection for these wonderful North American birds to Mayor Bloomberg, the media and the rest of the world.
Tell Mayor Bloomberg and city officials: Stop the killing and harassment of Canada Geese.
What You Can Do
Contact Mayor Bloomberg to oppose the slaughter and harassment of geese in New York City.
· If you live in New York City, you can call the Mayor’s office at 311.
· Outside of New York City, call 212-NEW-YORK.
· Fax a message: 212-788-8123.
· Send an email to the Mayor.
Contact Edita Birnkrant if you have further questions by Email or 212.247.8120
Post your comment
Comment Guidelines: We welcome your expressions of opinion on this subject. Please avoid false commentary about individuals or groups. Facts must be verified by the person posting. Off-topic comments, and comments inappropriate for a readership of all ages, may be deleted. E-mail addresses will never be published. Only comments with valid e-mail address will be published.
21 Comments
On March 14, 2011, Nancy Lounsbury wrote:
I am appalled to read this article of the destruction of our wildlife. More and more I read about the killings of our wildlife because people don’t like them, they make a mess, or they are a nuisance! Well guess what? We have people that are just as much a nuisance, are dirty, leave their trash around the parks and on the streets. What are we: a bunch of barbarians? Too much killing and not working on finding solutions that work for both sides. We spend just as much money on trying to stop this than if we worked on a plan to make it feasible for all and leave the wildlife to what they do.
On March 14, 2011, RE Penney wrote:
Dear Mayor Bloomberg: News of your deliberate gassing of the Canada geese in NYC parks has reached Laguna Beach. I would have thought the horrors of the Third Reich were behind us; it appears you have willfully revived them in the depraved actions against the geese. While your actions may escape notice in third world countries, they are ill suited to a civilized metropolis. Sincerely, B. Penney
On March 14, 2011, Rosemary Lachance wrote:
This is what man does, he kills animals because he can and gets away with it and it is the easiest for him, instead of using compassion and looking for other ways to solve the problems, but he forgets:
“Whatever a person does to animals will be paid back to him in kind.” Pythagoras (Greek philosopher)
On March 14, 2011, Denise LaChance wrote:
Thank you for continuing to oppose this cruelty.
On March 14, 2011, unheard wrote:
When I was a child, I remember how much fun it was when my parents taught me how to feed the geese. They were considered to be intelligent and beautiful. I recently moved back and am shocked by the difference! What are we doing to our children, the animals, each other and yes, ourselves? We should feel so ashamed!!!
On March 14, 2011, GDiFonzo wrote:
My God, what gas was used to kill the geese? All gassing is cruel, but some gases—e.g., Sarin, nerve gas—cause particularly terrible suffering. Who supervised the actual gassing? Were the geese gassed in their natural habitat or rounded up? If the former, then who could possibly guarantee that the gas would not sicken or kill other beings in the vicinity…including people?
Well, let’s face it, it’s not as if human deaths matter to Blomberg either. So what if a woman died of labor complications (the child died too) because sanitation workers didn’t bother to clear the way for emergency vehicles during a snowstorm? I guess in Blomberg’s view you have to break—or addle—a few eggs to make an omelette. Let’s tell him that compassion and accountability matter to all New Yorkers.
On March 14, 2011, Rosie wrote:
Can’t believe people are willing to hurt/kill innocent lives just to avoid responisibilities. Plus it was us humans who first invaded their homes in nature and now we’re forcing them out of their last home? What logic is this?
On March 14, 2011, Elsie wrote:
Please call Off the Slaughter & Harassment of Canada Geese.
On March 14, 2011, carole hagen wrote:
WE LOVE OUR CANADIAN GEESE!
On March 14, 2011, Pat wrote:
Its so sad to hear of this horrible act on innocent animals. Mankind has been given the beauty of all gods creatures. We need to protect them! Shame on the ones that are not doing so!
To the ones that are, God Bless!
On March 15, 2011, MARK W ERRICO wrote:
these animals are gifts from GOD to all of us . THE INHUMANE GOVERNMENT KILLING, AS BEING DIRECTED,BY MR BLOOMBERG, IS JUST ANOTHER WAY, TO EXPLOIT THE NATURAL HABITAT, IN THIS USA.I AM VERY SAD THAT TO SEE THE DIRECTION THE POWER IS GOING IN THIS COUNTRY ,,PLEASE STOP THE BRUTAL KILLING MR BLOOMBERG AND YOUR ENTOURAGE OF PUPPETS, MARK ERRICO
On March 16, 2011, Marcie J. Newman- Perskin wrote:
When did we decide we could play G-d? What gives us the right to determine which animals should survive and which we should weed out? Not only are the Geese being slaughtered by humans the Starling is being poisoned on L.I. and Queens not to mention the pigeon being killed by Coopers hawks that have been introduced to urban areas. I have followed those Vans that collect Geese and asked the men doing these heinous jobs and they say that the geese are now a menace to the human population because of their waste production. SO ARE WE! STUPID HUMANITY WILL YOU EVER LEARN, I THINK NOT!
On March 16, 2011, kat wrote:
hold up, has anyone studied biology? the whole predator - prey relationship? What prey on Canadian geese? Fox, Coyotes, Wolves. Well we as human have disrupted that balance, if you want to be humane about it, someone ought to start sterilizing the geese so that the population doesn’t overrun the food source/habitat (then the geese will be starving, that wouldn’t make anyone happy would it?). We hit the same issue with deer in the suburbs, their only predator is humans and cars b/c we’ve removed the predators. Unless people are willing to allow foxes and coyotes into their neighborhoods it is our problem to regulate the population of the geese in some way. The animals move to the area b/c it’s safe from predators and mother nature has trouble overcoming the will of humans. I do agree that cruel treatment of the geese is wrong, but as animal rights activists we need to come up with a solution that will suit everyone rather than just protesting and saying it’s wrong (let’s fix this rather than rabble-rouse about it).
FoA comments:
Nature balances itself but history shows humans are inept at doing it — not even able to control their own population let alone the populations of other species. Starvation is in most cases a natural event for humans and other animals. Sterilizing the geese is not the answer.
Humans are concerned about geese and other animals starving in nature, but not against hunting or eating them? Changing to a vegan diet is all the help animals need from humans.
On March 17, 2011, CINDY COLLIER wrote:
THE POOR THINGS PLEASE PROTECT AND LOVE AS WELL AS ADMIRE THEM - NOT SLAUGHTER THEM - THAT IS SO HORRIBLE.
On March 17, 2011, Jack H wrote:
They are Canada Geese not Canadian Geese.
If you are in Canada I guess any goose would be a Canadian goose.
On March 17, 2011, GDiFonzo wrote:
@Kat—NYC’s geese do have natural predators. Snapping turtles provide the balance that foxes and coyotes cannot, and there are more of them in the Five Boroughs than most people suspect. These turtles easily grow to fifteen pounds; their camouflaged appearance allows them to gulp down goslings on a regular basis. Are there snappers in Prospect Park? Given their remarkable ability to colonize any available environment, as well as the fact that snapping turtles have been seen in nearby wetlands, it certainly seems like a reasonable possibility.
On March 18, 2011, Kye J wrote:
Back off and leave the geese alone! Exterminate the dumb arse animal unfriendly politicians.I am disgusted in the attitude of these New York fools. Become civilized.
On March 23, 2011, Sharyn Lee wrote:
Hi from Australia keep up the great work guys I think you all are awesome.You go get those F****** and do the same to them. I SALUTE ALL OF YOU AND WISH I COULD BE THERE HELPING YOU OUT GO GEESE YOU ROCK !
On March 25, 2011, Paul Sheridan wrote:
Does anyone on this list eat meat? fish? birds? fowl? poultry?
Stop that first, then I will believe the outpouring of your sympathy for the geese…
FoA comments:
Why a preference against saving geese first? There’s no rule where one animal is more worth saving than another. Any place is a good starting point for change.
Friends of Animals is a vegan organization. It promotes life over death for all animals.
On April 25, 2011, Deborah Trenton wrote:
Disgusted!! Who gave you the right to play god?
On May 17, 2011, Sharon Patrick wrote:
Shame on you! What next will iritate you, maybe a cardinal, or a robin, should we round them up too ??? You won’t be satisfied till you destroy all wildlife, and have nothing but wall to wall people like you already do, and you wonder why you have so much crime,,, you spread a culture of death. the only solution if you don’t like something is to kill it. You’re sick….