Ferocious goose terrorizes neighbourhood

Police were needed yesterday to restrain a peckish Canada goose that was attacking residents in a north Chico neighbourhood near The Esplanade. It kept one women trapped inside her home for several minutes.

Susie Tambe said she heard the goose honking about 8 a.m. and went outside with her dog, Jade, to investigate. The goose began chasing the dog, which Tambe said sprinted down the street, then began running back toward her, with the bird in close pursuit. Tambe said she and the dog ran behind a gate and slammed it shut.



Minutes later, Tambe said she found the goose in her garage. When she went to the front door, she saw the goose coming up the walkway toward her. With a screen door between them, the woman said she felt fairly safe, but knew she wasn't going be able to leave her home. Tambe said the bird would alternately lunge at the screen door, and chase any neighbours who came near her home.

She said police showed up and initially tried to corner the goose in her yard, herding it with a broom. Eventually, Sgt. Linda McKinnon grabbed the bird and placed it on the back seat of her patrol car. It didn't appear to be injured.



Spokeswoman Marilyn Gamette said the goose is not wild and was probably someone's pet. She and her husband deemed it healthy and tried to release it at the Llano Seco Wildlife Refuge southwest of Chico, but said the bird immediately flew back and landed at their feet.

She was able to successfully release it later at Horseshoe Lake in upper Bidwell Park, where she said several other half-domesticated waterfowl reside. Regarding the goose's behaviour, Gamette said, "It was probably just looking for a handout."