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December 2, 2009

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Goose with arrow through body rescued in Reno

AP

Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004 | 1:06 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Spurred to action by repeated calls from horrified residents, wildlife officials rescued a Canada goose impaled by an arrow in Reno.

The bird was rescued Friday at a small lake near South Meadows Parkway by personnel from the U.S. Agriculture Department's Wildlife Services.

The arrow pierced the goose's back, penetrated its torso and exited its breast.

"It's ugly. It's like a bird in an oil slick," said Jack Spencer Jr., the agency's supervising biologist.

Nevada Humane Society officials removed the arrow and placed the goose on antibiotics.

The goose was able to swim but was starving to death because it could not walk out of the water to eat grass, Spencer said.

It's uncertain whether the bird will fly again or even survive, he added. It was still under observation Saturday at the humane society's Sparks shelter.

Residents first spotted the goose about a week ago and made repeated calls to wildlife agencies for help.

"I was extraordinarily distressed about this," Tamara Moyer told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

"It's horrible," Anne Young said. "I just can't believe somebody would do that."

Spencer said the goose might have been shot by someone frustrated over the growing number of geese in the Reno area and the mess they leave behind.

"It's nothing to do with hunting," he said. "There are a lot of people out there who don't like geese."

Three weeks ago, wildlife officials rescued a goose shot through the head with a blowgun dart. The goose was released after the dart was removed.

About a year ago, another goose that had been shot through the head with a crossbow bolt was rescued. It also survived.

Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal

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