BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — More than a dozen Bloomsburg residents, along with some wildlife experts, asked the council to reconsider a program to euthanize geese at Bloomsburg Town Park.
Council says the geese are creating a mess in the town, but residents think something else can be done to curb it.
It was a full house inside Bloomsburg Town Hall Monday night.
The hot topic was a gaggle of geese at Bloomsburg Town Park.
The town council voted earlier this month to participate in a program overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to euthanize some of the birds and donate the meat to food banks.
The plan is not sitting well with people here.
"There is no way to see this as anything more than cruel, mindless murder with very little to gain," said Melissa Vreeland, Bloomsburg.
Around 40 geese live at the park.
According to Bloomsburg officials, excessive excrement the geese leave behind is one of the major issues.
"The only reason we even engaged with anyone was to better properly manage the park. That was the impetus for the conversation with the USDA," said Mayor Justin Hummel, Bloomsburg.
Bloomsburg officials stress there is no contract with the USDA at the moment that says they have to go through with euthanasia, but that option is not off the table.
Residents and people from wildlife organizations that showed up all say there has to be another way.
"I think killing the geese is a mistake. I am basing that on a number of things, but most importantly, I think it sends the wrong message to children and young people. I am basing that on spending 25 years as a K through 6 teacher," said Mike Sauers, Bloomsburg.
"I don't think it should be an argument of whether we should do this or we should do that. It should be a conversation of where we can find middle ground," said Matt Yurkunas, Bloomsburg.
The Department of Agriculture planned to round up the geese in late June or early July.
Bloomsburg officials will continue hearing out residents between now and then to come up with other viable solutions.
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