A disturbing Kelowna, B.C., incident involving baby geese that was caught on video has not only sparked outrage, but also calls for enforcement action against those responsible.
On Wednesday morning, seven goslings appeared to be forced from a fourth-storey balcony in the city.
The incident, caught on video, happened at the Madison building on the corner of Ellis Street and Doyle Avenue and shocked those who witnessed it.
“It was just horrific to see, really. Like, I can’t, I couldn’t believe it,” said Tyler Andreasen, who saw the baby geese falling. “I couldn’t believe my eyes.”
Kate Morgan owns Posh Jewelry on the ground floor of the building and came out after she heard commotion outside.
“It’s been devastating,” said an emotional Morgan. “It’s awful. I just, I don’t, I don’t understand how someone could do that.”
The video shows a group of men corralling the baby geese toward the ledge, one with a pool noodle, before they fell.
According to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, five unharmed goslings were relocated to Okanagan Lake with two adult geese.
Bu two goslings were injured and taken to the Interior Wildlife Rehab Centre in Summerland.
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RCMP attended and told Global News they provided education to one of the men involved, who was a building employee.
Many say a warning is not enough.
“I think there should be consequences,” said Amy Ruth, who also witnessed the incident.
Federal laws protect Canada geese under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and any action involving the birds requires a permit.
“Any action that could harm, disturb, or remove the birds, their eggs, or their nests requires a federal permit. It is illegal to capture, injure, kill, or harass a migratory bird—or to disturb or destroy its eggs or nest—without permission,” stated Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
ECCC added that it is aware of the incident but would not say whether an investigation or enforcement action is underway.
“This is something that is a shocking move that no one should ever do and I think everybody is calling for more justice,” Ruth said.
Global News has obtained a letter from the building’s management company to strata members about the incident.
In it, Associated Property Management (APM) stated the goslings were “assisted onto the ledge from where they jumped down to their parents.”
But APM also added the employee, “should not have intervened and this has been reviewed with him.”
Wildlife rehab officials say the first 48 hours are critical for recovery and add that so far the goslings are faring well.
“I hope they learn and really realize the magnitude of what they’ve done and think twice,” Andreasen said.
Charge these bastards with animal cruelty.
more disgusting people in BC, way to go .
Can we move on from this? We have bigger fish to fry in this country than a couple of goslings.
They did not “ jump to the parents “ I am absolutely disgusted by the response from APM property management. Please do something about this, you gave the power and I do not.
Oh and beat ! them with the pool noodles first
Maybe someone should coax those men off a ledge !!!
That’s just sickening, those involved need more than a talking to! I have some ideas but I can’t post that here.
Were these men adults? Yes! Then education is an unacceptable outcome. They should be fined and punished with community service while wearing shorts that announce they harm defenceless animals. Gross behaviour and unacceptable.
Linda is absolutely correct. These people need to be held responsible for the harm they have caused. Anyone who sees animals as objects to be disposed of needs more than education. There is something very very wrong with treating living beings in this way. Very disturbing.
Enforce the Law against these three
Yeah whatever LindaW. Could care less about your sanctimonious view.
I must disagree with “J”;”No Canadian in their right mind”.
Well, “J” do some research of violent Canadians. They walk among us.
IF you can hurt an animal, you can hurt a human.
Animal abuse is an indicator to domestic violence, child and elder abuse.
Does not matter which country you are from. Let that sink in!
Punishment for animal abuse needs to be much stronger in this country, no matter where you cam from, period .
Needs to be a punishment period, unexceptable.
APM is one of the hard line rental agencies in Kelowna. Not much good is said of them and their strata garbage. They would kill the goslings without a missed heartbeat. .
In it, Associated Property Management (APM) stated the goslings were “assisted onto the ledge from where they jumped down to their parents.”
They whacked them off the ledge with f*ckin pool noodles!! I want to know who the hell these folks are! No Canadian in their right mind does this. A foreigner would cause they are stupid.
Unlike this apartment owner or the property managers I am not going to place the blame on some door man or janitor. They were only following the instructions of some one in the building.