OCEANPINES, Md.- Last week the Ocean Pines Association released a statement saying the USDA removed and euthanized geese from the area.
In the statement, General Manager John Baily said it is regretful that this action was necessary in order to maintain the local water quality. WBOC requested an interview with Ocean Pines officials, but were referred back to that statement for any comment.
Deborah Fredo says the way in which officials chose to remove the 290 geese from Ocean Pines was heartbreaking.
"I was just horrified, I wanted to harm somebody who had done it," Fredo said. "Maybe the ecological people thought something needed to be done, but you relocate. You don't slaughter."
Worcester County Humane Society Shelter Manager Jessica Summers says she would have also requested that a relocation alternative be discussed further.
"Apparently some steps have been made over the past few years to try to get the birds not to nest there, I just think a little bit more could have been done from what I can see, the public is not very happy about this decision," Summers said.
She thinks there might be a double standard for how some in the community view geese.
"If this were a community of 290 cats or 290 dogs, I think people would react a little bit more boisterously about it," Summers said.
Some neighbors informed WBOC that they were upset they weren't made aware of the decision until after it had already happened. WBOC called the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service location in Maryland several times, but our messages were not returned before airtime.
Marilyn Fanning says she agrees with the way the Ocean Pines Association handled the overpopulation issue.
"I think it's necessary because every year we get more geese because the geese multiply by 8's and 10's," Fanning said.
Fanning says she's happy some good came from the situation, as the association stated in its release that it plans to donate the meat to the Maryland Food Bank.
"I was happy to hear that they did do something positive when they euthanized them by feeding, sending the food to the Food Bank," Fanning said.
The way in which the geese were "humanely euthanized" is still unclear at this time.
