Take Action to Stop North Hempstead’s Plan to Kill Canada Geese
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BACKGROUND
The town of North Hempstead , New York , located on Long Island, announced its hiring USDA “Wildlife Services” agents to annihilate hundreds of Canada geese and newly born goslings in town parks and likely plans to gas the geese to death in an intolerant, misguided assault. NY Newsday reports on the town’s disastrous plan to spend $8,602.71 in tax dollars for the kill plan, in addition to $6 per goose to process the slaughtered geese who they absurdly claim will go to food banks.
North Hempstead Parks and Recreation officials complain that droppings from the geese are a nuisance—yet there is no mention of the town utilizing machines available for commercial use which quickly and effectively remove goose droppings from grassy areas and parks. How can the town leadership ignore such an obvious solution in favor of a mass slaughter?
Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Council Members who ordered the killing need a different mindset, and a plan to clean up goose droppings in fields and parks. Officials must make it a policy to clean up waste matter instead of saying all geese within town limits must die. Posting signs and enforcing no-feeding and littering rules are also sensible steps.
The town claims they’ve tried everything to “scare off” the geese, and that nothing worked.” Friends of Animals could have predicted that. Harassing geese from areas won’t work if flat, grassy areas remain unchanged. Geese will move in when others leave, occupying those areas for nesting, especially in the summer.
Habitat and landscape modifications are environmentally sound, long-term ways to deter geese from areas where they are seen as problematic — clearly what’s needed in North Hempstead . Co-existence with geese and other wildlife neighbors is required as a part of evolved suburban living. Are Supervisor Jon Kaimin and Town Council Members prepared to spend the residents’ taxes each year to kill geese instead of implementing the effective strategies Friends of Animals endorses?
Geese are attracted to areas with short, mowed grass and open sight lines as safe nesting areas. Growing grass longer in areas, planting native shrubs and trees to block sight lines (geese like to watch for predators), will deter geese from ponds, shores and parkland — reducing the time they spend in any one spot — especially for the 6 week period in summer when they’re molting.
Friends of Animals produces a Canada Goose Habitat Modification Manual detailing this process, and plans to meet with North Hempstead officials to present them with the manual. We’ll urge them to implement the changes and spare the geese.
The towns of Mamaroneck and Scarsdale , in Westchester , NY recently cancelled their plans to kill Canada geese in park areas after feedback and meetings from Friends of Animals and from outraged residents opposed to the killing— North Hempstead can and should do the same.
Note: the NY Newsday article has a poll – please vote yes here that the town’s plan is inhumane: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/is-the-town-s-plan-inhumane-1.5244371
You can also post to the town’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/townofnorthhempstead
PETITION
Please click HERE to sign petition
WHOM TO CONTACT
Email Block
kaimanj@northhempsteadny.gov ; grossl@northhempsteadny.gov ; tax@northhempsteadny.gov ; russellv@northhempsteadny.gov ; dwyert@northhempsteadny.gov ; ferraraa@northhempsteadny.gov ; kaplana@northhempsteadny.gov ; seemanl@northhempsteadny.gov ; degiorgiod@northhempsteadny.gov
Individual
Supervisor
Hon. Jon Kaiman
516.869.6311
kaimanj@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Clerk
Hon. Leslie Gross
516.869.6311
grossl@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Receiver
of Taxes
Hon. Charles Berman
516.869-6311
tax@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 1
Hon. Viviana L. Russell
516.869.7701
russellv@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 2
Hon. Thomas K. Dwyer
516.869.7702
dwyert@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 3
Hon. Angelo P. Ferrara
516.869.7703
ferraraa@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 4
Hon. Anna M. Kaplan
516.869.7704
kaplana@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 5
Hon. Lee Seeman
516.869-7705
seemanl@northhempsteadny.gov
Town Board
Councilperson District 6
Hon. Dina M. DeGiorgio
516.869.7706
degiorgiod@northhempsteadny.gov
Please attend the Tuesday, May 14th North Hempstead Town Board Meeting to speak out against this plan during the public comment period of the meeting:
Tuesday 5/14/13 at 7:30 PM
North Hempstead Town Hall
220 Plandome Road
Manhasset , NY 11030
Call: 516.869.6311
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Honorables Kaiman, Gross, Berman, Russell, Dwyer, Ferrara, Kaplan, Seeman, and DeGiorgio:
I am extremely alarmed to learn of North Hempstead’s decision to cruelly massacre geese who reside in park areas via USDA agents. I respectfully request suspension of this violent strategy.
Please allow me to elaborate. First, killing geese does nothing to modify landscapes and waterways that attract them in the first place. I encourage officials to work with avian experts on population stabilization and site aversion.
Second, sweeping eradication does not reduce long-term growth. Killing geese artificially increases food supplies to the remaining geese, the consequence of which is increased reproduction and an ensuing greater population. In fact, studies have demonstrated that the continual cycle of seasonal eradication is responsible for a rebound, or larger gaggle populations, in subsequent years.
Third, using such barbaric strategies in such a visible location will most certainly affect visitation: agents typically enter the pond area during early morning, roughly separating goslings from parents, and then stuff the bound, panicked geese and babies into crates. Next, the geese are gassed or shot to death. In fact, although I do not currently reside in North Hempstead, I would be unwilling to consider it, or a nearby location, for tourist purposes if this cull ensues.
Please practice compassion and integrity: let the geese live and institute responsible policies that promote respect and tolerance of wildlife, and commit to habitat/landscape modification as outlined in Friends of Animals’ Canada Goose Habitat Modification Manual, http://friendsofanimals.org/sites/default/files/Goose%20Habitat.pdf, in addition to instituting a formal clean-up plan for goose droppings in parks.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this urgent appeal.
NAME
town of north hempstead,
shame on you..
geese are your citizens,
too!
Karen Lyons Kalmenson
Our Compass 
Thanks so much for posting this Stacey i just got the email today i signed the petition and was waiting to send the emails later but what luck youve already made a sample letter and even put the email addresses in a block so its easier to send thanks so much for your time and effort i appreciate it you just saved me alot of time Stacey thanks! Emails sent petition signed and i wrote a message on the FB wall also shared in several places i took the poll too there are some aholes on the thread at the poll talikng about geese being a nuisance its very upsetting
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Thank you so much, my dear! I saw your post on their Facebook site, I wished I could ‘like’ it but that option is not there. I posted as well, but I bet they are going to delete us. I did not know there was a petition, could you please send me a link, I will post it, too. Thank you!!!
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Unless of course you meant the link to vote? If you meant that, I already have the link up. Thanks, hon.
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less message on their facebook page, too…and voted
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It would be my pleasure Stacey, i wish i wouldve said something to you earlier but i didnt want to tell you what to post in your own blog lol heres the link to the petition on change.org
http://www.change.org/petitions/board-of-the-town-of-north-hempstead-don-t-kill-north-hempstead-s-canada-geese
Thanks for posting this petition Stacey, Youre the best 😉
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Thank you, Karen!
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Thank you so much, my dear Florence! I have signed and posted, and always feel free to let me know if I am missing something, I’d appreciate it! 🙂
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less message should be left message
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town of north hempstead,
shame on you..
geese are your citizens,
too!
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LOVE that one Karen short and to the point, i just love it!!!
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I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE THE BLOODY CRUELTY THAT THEY BLATANTLY WANT TO DO TO THE GEESE. THESE HEARTLESS BASTARDS ARE EVIL AND NOT NORMAL ! I SWEAR THE DEVIL IS RUNNING THIS WORLD. INNOCENT BABY ANIMALS TAKEN FROM THEIR PARENTS TO BE KILLED !!!!! THESE BASTARDS WILL REAP THE KARMA THEY ARE CREATING AND THEY WILL DESERVE EVERY BIT OF IT. I PRAY THIS EVIL TO THE GEESE NEVER HAPPENS. !!
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I agree, and well-said, Linda. Thank you, as always.
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Reblogged this on Animal Connection.
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Thank you!
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Posted their Facebook page and will send the email. Thank you for providing the letter! I have a family of Canada Geese in my pond as well as other “couples” that are gosling-less for now. Thank you for caring!
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Thank you so much for your participation and for caring as well! (That is so awesome that you have some geese in your pond – good for you!)
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Pelase stop trying to make excuses of why you should kill these innocent animals! Be moral and stop destroying all that is beautiful and good in the world! Why do you have to destroy everything? What gives you the right? Leave these animals alone! They deserve to be free and live!
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I agree Mariane
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Thank you, voted yes and sent email.
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This is so horrific especially this time of year when all the babies are born. I can’t imagine the suffering that will go on when a net go over the Mom’s with their little babies being scooped up and crushed to death. Some of the babies will probably fall through nets only to be left behind, injured, only to die a slow death.
What kind of animals are WE?
What’s worse is that WE are paying for this torture.
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I completely agree, thank you, Valerie.
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USDA’s rounding up & killing poor innocent disadvantaged molting geese & goslings (who have no voice to speak for their rights) is a cruel heinous crime against nature & should be harshly punished in a court of law! This act of killing sensitive compassionate creatures is NOT what we want taught to our children.
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I agree, thank you.
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