why i hate people more and more each day.........

beth wallbank · 05-29-03, 10:59 PM

Had to share my day with you all. Today I went to a lake that is pathed to walk around and there are parks for kids and fishing galore. Well, walking around it, I heard rustling in the long grasses and a momma goose going berserk, as did tons of other people. I figured something was up so I went to look, and there was a tiny little canada goose baby all tangled up in fishing line, with a hook down its throat. With much trouble, and a bite in the *** by protective momma, i managed to scoop up the baby and head for higher ground to see if I could get this undone. After an hour of cutting this twine off that was now cutting into its skin, i managed to get all of it off but the hook. This is where I was helpless without any tools. So off into my truck I carted the little goose, and headed for home, to try and get this hook out.
Now the thing that gets me, the entire time i struggled to get this gosling untied and shooed away the momma countless times, not one single person stopped to help. I cannot get over the people these days.
Well, the gosling is now on my deck, has my kids kiddy pool full of water, has a large vari kennel with straw for a bed, and after 5 days of antibiotics, I will bring him back to momma and set him free.
Sorry, just had to share.

Tim_Cranwill · 05-29-03, 11:04 PM

Hmm... I hope the guy gets better soon! Good job Beth!

Too bad no one offered you a hand. It sounds like you could have used one...

Tim and Julie B · 05-29-03, 11:05 PM

Wow Beth. You never cease to amaze me. Compashion to all living creatures (except some people) is a virtue. You should feel very proud. People just suck sometimes. Bit in the ***, DAMM that had to hurt! I hope you and your newly extended family are doing well.

Let us know about how the release goes!

Solid Snake · 05-29-03, 11:06 PM

wont it die with the hook in his tummy or wil it rust? .Poor little guy. I hope hes gonna be ok. Its good to have people like u. I would have helped also

beth wallbank · 05-29-03, 11:08 PM

I got the hook out.......thats why hes on antibiotics now

unBOAlievable · 05-30-03, 12:01 AM

People suck (don't jump on me Tim and Jule B.)LOL. I guess people in the South aren't the only heartless, well you get the picture. Or maybe Southern hospitality is spreading like a disease.

Well I am glad you saved the goose, And I am very sorry you got goosed or is that pecked. Anyway you did a good thing and should be proud of yourself.

Hope the story ends well with a quick recovery and a happy release.

P.S. take a picture of the release I would really love to see.

Pixie · 05-30-03, 12:02 AM

Big kudos to you for rescuing that bird, so few people do things like that.

About people not stepping in to help, I think it's really pathetic and I know how it feels. A couple of years back I was at the dog park with a friend and both our pooches. My friend's pooch gets attacked by this pitbull/akita mix and the dog won't let go. My friend manages to grab hold of his dog but the other is still going at it and the owner is doing nothing but telling his dog to stop. I'm yelling at the guy and everyone else crowds around. After 4-5 minutes of this torture I can't stand it anymore and jump on the attacking dog. Without thinking I stick all my fingers in the dog's mouth by the sides and digs my nails into it's palate as hard as I can. Luckily the dog let go and I wasn't hurt. After yelling at the owner a bunch and telling him if I saw him at that park again with that dog I'd get his *** kicked I realized that I was the only one who dared do anything. All the others were men too! I find it funny that a 4'9" chick was the only one with enough *balls* to do anything. And worse, once I was on the dog and restling him, no one stepped in then either. A hand would have been greatly appreciated.

Anyways, I don't have much faith left in people either. I wait till people prove themselves.

Pixie

Piers · 05-30-03, 12:40 AM

I'm glad that you saved the birds life, but I don't think that you can return it to the wild. 1,the mother will probably reject it and 2 it might of started to imprint on you, I'm not sure when birds stop imprinting, you should ask a bird rehab place or the aquarium,Aldagrove zoo, I don't know who to ask in this neck of the wood, all I do know is that the bird won't live without it's mother and I don't think the mother will take it back
Piers

Jeff_Favelle · 05-30-03, 01:01 AM

Holy. If even 10 more people had the dedication that you do to wildlife, this planet would be way way way better off.

Wow.

beth wallbank · 05-30-03, 01:47 AM

I have contacted several resources tonight about rehabilitation, and they all said pretty much the same things. As long as there is no 1 on 1 interaction to the gosling, and that I take it back to the exact location within a week, the gosling has a good survival rate. He/she is old enough to find food, and with the amount of ducks/geese at this particular lake, chances are that orphans are quite common and will be accepted easily into a gaggle of geese.
Other than giving a local anesthetic and removing the hook, and giving oral meds hidden in food not by hand, chances are there will be no imprinting. Imprinting is usually done within the first 48 hours of hatching, and this tyke is approx. 3-4 weeks now.
Whether or not this gosling has a chance to go back to the wild, I could not leave it at the lake to die or be killed because of some stupid angler that left tackle behind. If it were a natural occurance, I probably could have been more readily accepting to the fact that it could die. But because this was a human error, I felt this was the least I could do. Humans have done enough damage to this planet and is slowly destroying it, and this is my contribution back for what I have taken. If I had to chose to do it again, I would.

KrokadilyanGuy3 · 05-30-03, 01:55 AM

Congratulations and thanks. I'm curious on how you removed a hook from the stomach. Personally, I quit on the outlook of help from people who I do not know. It saves me the disappointment of selfishness and also makes me appreciate the job that was done more. And you single handedly saved a life.. Xain

beth wallbank · 05-30-03, 02:00 AM

The hook was actually embedded in the very back of the tongue, before the esophogus. I used long surgical needle nose tongs to grab it and wiggle it free. The hook was also barbed, which is now illegal in the province of BC to fish with.

daver676 · 05-30-03, 06:24 AM

Good job Beth. Yes, I agree with you. Most people are content to not interfere, which in a lot of cases, is unacceptable.

Congrats on the save.

Dave

Mardy · 05-30-03, 06:55 AM

Great job Beth, kindness begets kindness.
And your truck load is on the way.

Mardy

Alicewave · 05-30-03, 07:00 AM

Great Job Beth! It really bugs me too... I was walking my dog one day and she brought my attention to a bluejay who had it's head stuck in one of those small animal traps (Shaped like a D, when snapped shut, the curve of the D was around it's neck)which was setup in someones yard. Based on the condition of the people's yard I was honestly a little bit scared to tresspass and free the bird. I also wouldn't be able to help with my dog with me so I went home. I told my b/f about it and asked if I should go back and save it and he said it's probably dead by now. I went back anyway with a pair of pliers. The bird was still there but not moving. I watched it for a while and i saw it breathe once so I went in and pried the trap open miraculously the bird flew away unharmed! I don't know how, I thought for sure it's neck would have been broken. For some reason it took a lot of guts for me to do that. I don't know why. But anyway, I learned that it's worth it to do anything you can to save an animal in distress. Kudos to you Beth, your story gives me courage for the next time I encounter such a thing.