Torfaen Council has shared photos of the two geese that were removed from the canal in Cwmbran following complaints about their “aggressive” behaviour. The pics show the pair at their new home on someone’s smallholding in Torfaen.
Their exact location hasn’t been revealed but a council officer said they are “safe and well”. The domesticated geese were part of a group of nine believed to have been abandoned on the canal in Two Locks, Cwmbran, around three years ago.
Torfaen Council received a number of reports of people being attacked by two of the geese, including an 86-year-old woman who fell trying to escape. A decision was taken to move them in the interest of their own safety and that of canal users.
The story was picked up by the national media and became the subject of a phone-in on Radio Two’s Jeremy Vine Show.
A council spokesperson said they used a local pest control company, that also runs an animal collection service and were experienced in handling birds safely, to collect the geese on 6 April.
Daniel Morelli, Torfaen Council’s head of public protection, said: “We understand some residents were upset at the decision to rehome the geese and we want to assure them that their safety and wellbeing was a priority at all times.
“We were concerned at the reports of people being attacked by the geese and we wanted to avoid anyone else getting hurt and prevent them being injured.
“We used a company that has experience of handling birds safely and one of our officers visited the geese in their new home yesterday. We are pleased that they are settling in well. Enquiries were made with a number of animal charities to collect and rehome the geese, but none of them could house the birds at this time.
“As they have been rehomed with a private resident on their smallholding we are unable to reveal their exact location, but we can assure residents that they are safe and well. The geese have ample space in their new natural surroundings, including a large pond.
“The other seven geese remain on the canal and we would like to thank local residents for keeping an eye on them.”
