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Will work for cookies: dogs chase geese, destroy eggs
(by Maggie Fazeli Fard - February 28, 2008)
Instead of getting a new dog to control the Montvale’s goose population, the borough will continue to use noisemakers and canine control courtesy of Tyco Animal Control for at least the next few months.
“We’ll see how we work over the next couple of months,” said Carol Tyler of Tyco at the Feb. 26 meeting of the mayor and council. She explained that there is a plan ready in case the governing body decides to get a new dog, which would be rescued at no cost to the borough and housed at the DPW, but added, “it’s not necessary at this time.”
The borough has long tackled geese – as well as the five-plus pounds of defecation
Tyler said each goose can produce in a day.
The borough previously used trained dogs that were hooked up to a runner and allowed to chase and frighten the geese. The first dog ran away and the second dog died of cancer.
Ever since, the borough has relied on Tyco to keep the geese at bay.
Tyler said that Tyco’s methods include a combination of noise and pyrotechnics with two trained dogs that chase geese and destroy goose eggs in exchange for a cookie treat. The team visits Montvale at least once a day, every day, and covers 16 municipalities in the area.
“I’d love to open a hunting zone,” she joked, “but unfortunately the government won’t allow that.”
Tyler said that the current method has been successful, which is why she wants to continue to implement it.
She noted, however, that there is one tagged goose that she just can’t seem to get under control.
“Number 223 is in every town I go to!”
Maggie Fazeli Fard's e-mail address is fazelifard@northjersey.com.
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