Alabama HOA planned to euthanize 226 geese residing in local lake. The whole community put their foot down
Edgewater residents said they did not face the same issues the HOA stated
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of animal cruelty that some readers may find distressing.
Co-existing with wildlife can be challenging, but exterminating them is not the solution, as Edgewater residents said. On June 8, Edgewater Homeowners' Association (HOA) declared its plans to euthanize more than 226 geese living in and around Lady Ann Lake, reported USA Today. However, residents have expressed their opposition by signing petitions and asking the HOA to reconsider using non-lethal means to remove or reduce the population of the geese. The incident was also reported on June 17 by WHNT News 19.
Residents disagree with issues stated by HOA
Brian Goodwin, the President of the HOA, spoke to WAFF 48 and said that the birds impacted the lake's quality, walking trails, public health, and even resident safety. However, residents disagree. Natalia Tidwell responded to Goodwin's statement, "I’ve never had any issues with hostility or aggression. We personally never got sick as kids rolling around in the dirt. I can’t say that it’s a problem that warrants lethal measures, that’s for sure." Jack Hollum, a board member who was against the decision, shared how he co-existed with the birds while dealing with their droppings. He told the news outlet, "It took me 10 minutes to hit this entire causeway before I went to work. It’s a no-brainer. It takes so little time, it’s not even funny."
'Culling is not a solution'
Conservation ecologist and associate professor at the University of Alabama, Matthew Niemiller, expressed his expert opinion, saying, "Culling is a reset button, not a solution. It can lower the local population count for a season, but it does nothing about why the geese are there in the first place. It treats the symptom while leaving the habitat untouched. As long as the neighborhood offers what geese want, other geese will fill the space." Euthanizing the birds is a temporary solution, as more geese will come and reside in the same spot since they are resident birds. They will also breed more because of the lack of competition.
Victory for the residents
Back in 2020, the HOA had tried to recolonize the birds. Hollum described the culling process: "They shoot nets over the flocks of geese, capture as many as they can, they put them in a trailer, and gas them to death. And geese can hold their breath for 45 minutes or so, so in doing that, it’s an agonizing death for them." The birds' carcasses were then fed to local alligators. To avoid repeating this inhumane process, David Field, an Edgewater resident, started a petition to save the geese. The residents emerged victorious with 4,654 supporters, and the HOA confirmed that the plans to euthanize the geese had been dissolved.
Non-lethal measures will be used
However, before they recalled their decision to euthanize the birds, the HOA shared a statement with Fox 54. It read, "These geese are not migratory; they live here year‑round, and without natural predators, their numbers have increased well beyond what the lake and surrounding environment stably support. Our goal is not to eliminate geese, but to bring the population back to a manageable, healthy level so that long‑term, non‑lethal strategies can be effective."
Some of the non-lethal solutions include planting more vegetation along the shoreline, removing food sources that attract geese, continuing the humane deterrent measures, and using population control techniques. In addition to those, they plan to enhance the water quality while preserving the shared community area.
If you find an animal in distress, immediately contact 911 or your local animal shelter. Assistance from PETA is available at 757-622-7382.
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