One attendee towered above the rest at this year’s National Recreation and Park Association Conference: a giant, joyful goose spreading a lifesaving message. Our oversized goose drew playful smiles, countless photos, and plenty of double-takes. But most importantly, this gentle ambassador opened the door to key conversations about compassion, coexistence, and non-lethal conflict resolution to save real geese across the country.

Over 70 park and recreation professionals attended our panel presentation on non-lethal methods to resolve conflicts with geese. Many joined in meaningful discussions about the urgent need to stop killing geese in parks and public spaces. 

Park professionals took selfies with our giant goose at the National Recreation and Parks Association Conference.

Every year, park departments across the country are pressured into using harmful or deadly methods, including roundups and gassing, in misguided attempts to control goose populations. These brutal practices cause immense suffering and tear apart bonded families. They also fail to address the root causes of conflict and often make the situation worse.

At the conference, we showed agencies that there is a better way. During our presentation and one-on-one conversations, our National Goose Protection Coalition shared effective, non-lethal strategies that help communities:

• Reduce conflict safely and humanely
  
  
• Protect water quality and park environments
  
  
• Support healthy, natural ecosystems
  
  
• Keep goose families safe and together

Experts from Humane Long Island, Canada Geese Protection Colorado, and FlightTurf® shared helpful strategies like habitat modification, community engagement, and native grass plantings. Park and recreation professionals discovered that humane solutions not only work, but often outperform killing programs in both effectiveness and long-term cost.

Humane Long Island’s John Di Leonardo, In Defense of Animals’ Lisa Levinson, Canada Geese Protection Colorado’s Carole Woodall, and Flight Turf’s Jon Roddick presented non-lethal goose mitigation strategies to park professionals.  

Through our National Goose Protection Coalition, we’ve already helped communities across the country replace violent roundups and gassing with compassionate, evidence-based solutions.

As more cities learn these tools, more lives are saved. Geese are intelligent, devoted parents who form deep bonds. They deserve to live safely and freely, just like all animals.

In Defense of Animals’ giant goose poses with our Campaigns Director Lisa Levinson who oversees the National Goose Protection Coalition. 

Contact us to join our coalition and help geese in your area: geese@idausa.org 

Give to support our advocacy efforts to protect geese: www.idausa.org/savegeese 

Thank you for caring and making a difference.