Goose Shot In Head With Arrow Flies Free Once Again

A Canada goose shot in the head with an arrow is now once again flying free. After almost a month of intensive care, the healed goose was released back onto its wild pond at Ellis Haven Campground in Plymouth, Massachusetts on Wednesday.

That’s the heart-warming story from Jasper Craven for The Boston Globe. He spoke extensively to veterinarian Greg Mertz who worked on the unlucky bird.

The Animal Rescue League brought the bird to the New England Wildlife Center in late July. The shocking image of the goose with an arrow shot through its head quickly spread around the rescue community.

But the arrow was safely removed. The goose was treated with antibiotics and other support. And, despite the head shot, there didn’t appear to be any permanent damage that would interfere with returning the grumpy goose to the wild.

“It was a pretty smooth recovery,” Dr. Mertz said. “There’s not even a hole anymore.”

The Plymouth goose wasn’t the only Canada goose in need of rescue recently. It must be goose season, because there’s a second heart-warming story this week from the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

On Saturday, police officers in Covington, Louisiana got at least two calls about a Canada goose with plastic netting trapped around its neck. The bird couldn’t eat or drink.

But the goose was also frightened. Dare I say it?

The bird led the police on quite a wild goose chase.

Eventually, the panicked Canada goose got tired and became trapped in some hedges. The officers removed the netting and released the bird.

They watched to make sure the goose could eat and drink. And they returned Sunday to check on it again. The bird is fine.

Unlike the goose who got shot in the head with the arrow, this bird didn’t need any advanced medical technology to fly free.

[flying Canada Goose photo credit: mikebaird via photopin cc]