Man attacked beloved ‘Mama Goose’ nesting outside Pierce County bank, police say
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- A 49-year-old man was arrested after allegedly hitting the goose on April 8 and April 9.
- Police say the suspect struck the goose on April 8 and April 9 and a resident called 911.
- A resident made signs saying the goose is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
A man is charged with second-degree animal cruelty after he allegedly hit a goose that made her nest outside a bank in Milton.
According to a police officer’s report attached to the man’s citation in Milton Municipal Court, the 49-year-old harassed the Canadian goose twice: once on April 8 and once on April 9. The goose set up her nest in the parking lot of Key Bank at 1000 Meridian Ave. E. and has been guarding her eggs.
The police report gives this account of what happened:
At about 8:12 a.m. on April 9, Milton Police Officer Erik Haney got a call from a resident who said the man was harassing the goose. Haney went to the scene and didn’t see the suspect there. He then went into Key Bank and talked to some employees.
“They stated that they were working when they heard someone yelling outside. When one of the employees had come outside, they recognized the subject as one that had been harassing the same goose the day before,” the report said. “This time the employee witnessed the subject using the metal legs of a sign ... hitting the goose several times as it stayed on the nest protecting its eggs.”
When officers went to check on the goose, they approached two bystanders, who said they called 911 the day before when they saw the suspect “trying to pick the goose off the nest as it flapped its wings at him,” the report said.
The goose was still in her nest when Haney went to check on her, the report said.
“When officers had gone to look at the location, the goose was extremely agitated before we had gotten close, raising its head and hissing, while refusing to leave the nest,” the report said. “We saw warning signs and noted the signs had been taken out of the ground and put back in with disturbed landscaping.”
Haney found the suspect at a nearby coffee shop at about 1:20 p.m., the report said, and arrested him. He allegedly told the officer that he had been playing with the goose.
The man was still listed on the Pierce County Jail Roster as of Monday. Nils Luckman, spokesperson for the Milton Police Department, told The News Tribune he would likely appear before a judge on Tuesday morning.
Amy Wilks, a Milton resident, told The News Tribune this is not the first time someone has tried to hurt the goose, who has become a community fixture.
On March 25, Wilks said she saw a group of teenage boys poking and harassing the goose, so she shooed them away. She posted about it in a Facebook group, EMF Water Cooler, and someone commented on it, saying she had witnessed someone else throwing rocks at the goose.
“After I posted the rant about what I just experienced, there were 81 comments going back and forth, a lot of community members just saying that, ‘Oh no, we love her, we need to stop by, our kids like to see how she’s doing,’ or they’ll post saying, ‘Hey, Mama Goose is walking in the parking lot, please be aware,’” Wilks said. “There’s a lot of people that have been looking out for her and keeping an eye on her, watching her thrive.”
Lori Pacchiano, another Milton resident, said she made signs after Wilks’ post, telling people the goose is a federally-protected animal and to not hurt her or feed her.
The goose happens to be in line with Key Bank’s security camera, Pacchiano said.
Pacchiano told The News Tribune she first became aware of the goose a couple weeks ago, but bank employees told her the goose set up her nest in the parking lot last year as well.
It is illegal to hurt or kill a Canadian Goose under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Canada geese readily nest away from water in places like large parking lots, roofs of buildings, and landscaped garden beds,” a post on the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission website said. “Even though these seem like poor locations for a nest, Canada geese are very successful parents and always have a plan for leading their goslings to safety once the eggs have hatched.”
Wilks said the best thing people can do for Milton’s feathered friend is to leave her alone.
“Don’t mess with her, don’t feed her, do nothing,” Wilks said. “Keep an eye on her, protect her. If you see something, say something.”
