What should I do with my goose?

[gyzmo]

A friend of mine found a baby Canadian goose on the side of the road and took it in. She didn’t have chickens or a place for it and she knew I had recently gotten a few baby geese so she asked if I could take it in. I did and she started to get attached to me. We would carry her around in a purse everywhere and she would love it. When she got big enough we slowly introduced her to our other geese. They are Chinese geese. She is now fully grown along with my other geese and they pick on her often. She flys but has never flown away. She would watch us through the window outside our house, poop on our patio,and attack us/guests so we put all our geese a big area with a gate around it. She constantly looks sad and neglected but still attacks us when we get close. I don’t know if I should take her to a park with other Canadian geese or if she’s fine and that’s just how they are. Any ideas? Could she live outside of my backyard? She seems to still be attached to us when we walk by just attacks us when we get near. Would she be sad if we brought her to a park? She’d be more happy right? Can she fly high/far enough to migrate? All ideas are appreciated!

 

[Evadig]

I can’t answer most of your questions, but I have heard it is illegal to have a Canadian Goose unless you have a permit. Because it is accustomed to being taken care of, I think it would be best to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Though I don’t know how you would explain your possession of the goose without getting in trouble. But then again maybe you didn’t know, so you could tell them that. Sorry for rambling, just thinking aloud. Hopefully someone who knows about this sort of thing will be along to help…

 

[gyzmo]

I can’t answer most of your questions, but I have heard it is illegal to have a Canadian Goose unless you have a permit. Because it is accustomed to being taken care of, I think it would be best to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Though I don’t know how you would explain your possession of the goose without getting in trouble. But then again maybe you didn’t know, so you could tell them that. Sorry for rambling, just thinking aloud. Hopefully someone who knows about this sort of thing will be along to help…

I wasn’t sure if you needed to be one or not but when we originally got the goose we looked for one near by and unfortunately there isn’t one close that could take my goose. I’ll look into getting a permit though see if I’m aloud.

 

[Goosebaby]

I would suggest reaching out to Carolina waterfowl rescue, they take in injured or non releasable birds. Your goose is human imprinted so it might qualify as non releasable. Non releasable birds can sometimes be rehabilitated but if not she’ll most likely serve as a nanny goose to foster incoming geese and goslings of her own species so that they imprint on her and not humans also. This would also do her good as it gives her plenty of opportunity to learn to be a Canada goose and bond with her own kind.

If Carolina waterfowl rescue is too far away they may have resources for other rescues closer that can help.

 

[gyzmo]

I would suggest reaching out to Carolina waterfowl rescue, they take in injured or non releasable birds. Your goose is human imprinted so it might qualify as non releasable. Non releasable birds can sometimes be rehabilitated but if not she’ll most likely serve as a nanny goose to foster incoming geese and goslings of her own species so that they imprint on her and not humans also. This would also do her good as it gives her plenty of opportunity to learn to be a Canada goose and bond with her own kind.

If Carolina waterfowl rescue is too far away they may have resources for other rescues closer that can help.

It is too far away. I’ll look into something like that!! There a rescue nearby and we are going to call and see it will take her. They have a few geese there so hopefully they can.

 

[Jesselynn]

I can’t answer most of your questions, but I have heard it is illegal to have a Canadian Goose unless you have a permit. Because it is accustomed to being taken care of, I think it would be best to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator. Though I don’t know how you would explain your possession of the goose without getting in trouble. But then again maybe you didn’t know, so you could tell them that. Sorry for rambling, just thinking aloud. Hopefully someone who knows about this sort of thing will be along to help…

It is not illegal to have the geese. I don't know where you heard that but you're wrong.

 

[Goosebaby]

It is not illegal to have the geese. I don't know where you heard that but you're wrong.

Depending on where you are in the world that may be true but in the U.S.A and Canada it is illegal to trap, keep, or kill wild and migratory birds without a permit.

Here in the U.S where I am they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918/ 2023.

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R44694/4