Agree or disagree??

[Amelia]

Critics condemn feeding euthanized geese to needy

kgw.com

by Associated Press

Posted on July 22, 2010

BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A central Oregon community center that served up Canada geese killed by local park officials has been inundiated with complaints from animal rights activists.

More than 100 Canada geese deemed nuisances were euthanized by the Bend Park & Recreation District last month, which had the geese meat butchered and donated to feed the needy. Protesters staged a memorial service after the birds were euthanized.

More: Geese memorial service

About half of the meat went to NeighborImpact, which runs a regional food bank that serves about 15,000 people each month through a network of more than 40 partner organizations. The other half went to Bend's Community Center, which cooks for several local soup kitchens.

Volunteers at the center used the meat for a rich stew that "was delicious," said Taffy Gleason, the center's executive director. On July 11, it was ladled out to hundreds of hungry people, some of whom are homeless or struggling financially.

But word got out that the center had served birds that once roamed local parks, and Gleason and other staff were bombarded with angry phone calls and pledges to withhold future donations.

Half a dozen people came to the center in person and threatened Gleason, accusing her of being an accomplice in the animals' death.

"It's a tough economy, and we're on a tight budget," Gleason said with a shrug. "I was grateful for that meat."

Steve Murray, the food bank coordinator for NeighborImpact, said the nonprofit distributed more than 2 million pounds of food in the fiscal year that ended June 30. Murray estimated that the goose meat his agency received weighed just under 300 pounds.

"I hate to say it's a drop in the bucket, but it's a drop in the bucket," he said. "And some people like goose meat. It wasn't forced on anyone.

http://www.kgw.com/news/Critics-condemn-feeding-euthanized-goose-meat-to-needy-99057749.html

[GreatLakesGramma]

Those protesters are morons. They protest killing of even wolves and other predators, yet those animals eat nothing but meat. Yet people are supposed to starve rather than kill animals and eat them. And it's better to leave the animals themselves to die of starvation and disease from overpopulation that to cull their numbers to give the remaining population a better chance? I don't think so!

[Liz]

I think it's great. I have often thought that our over-populated geese and ducks should go to feed the poor. Especially if they were going to be killed either way, at least they didn't go to waste.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I didn't realize we had an overpopulation of ducks and geese. But I also agree that it was a good thing to use the meat to feed people who really needed it. (My mom has told me that duck and goose meat is rather greasy...she didn't care for it, but if it was on the table during the '30's, people ate what was put before them)

[Dr. Shane]

How did these park officials kill these geese? I hope none of the homeless bit down on some shot gun pellets. Then someone will have to donate dental services too.

[Liz]

@Rudywoofs--I meant the ones that are around here. There are times when the ducks and geese are so thick that you can hardly see the water. Then they get so hungry, that if they even think you might have food, they will chase you down. Sometimes it is really sad, when we go to feed them and way more show up than what we have food for.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

@Rudywoofs--I meant the ones that are around here. There are times when the ducks and geese are so thick that you can hardly see the water. Then they get so hungry, that if they even think you might have food, they will chase you down. Sometimes it is really sad, when we go to feed them and way more show up than what we have food for.

Ohh...okay. I used to like feeding the ducks and geese in the parks.

My grandparents raised geese in their backyard during the Depression. When my grandma was hanging up clothes to dry on the line, the geese would come up and nip her in the rear end!

[GreatLakesGramma]

The Canada geese at the park I used to take my kids to were so aggressive, they would try to take your food right out of your hands while you were trying to eat it.

Shane, they probably caught the geese and decapitated them.

[Woody]

Quote:

they probably caught the geese and decapitated them

I doubt that PETA would approve of the decapitation procedure.

I've been to that park in Bend. MY son as a toddler tried to walk through all those geese.I have pics of it. They have FAR too many geese there. Is IS a problem.