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Winged Nuisances Will Get Taste Of Goose Runners
By Catherine Snipe
It seems that Lassie can do more than just rescue Timmy from a well.
This month, when Canada geese decide to hang out in township parks, a border collie may convince them otherwise.
The township will pay Goose Runners of Howell up to $325 weekly in a contract to control the geese that land on township property. Township council unanimously approved the contract this week, which totals $33,800 over the two-year agreement.
The geese frequently land on the township's parks and recreational fields and other township property, but the Goose Runners will see to it that they don't stay long. The company uses border collies to patrol the land and go after the geese, deterring them from staying.
Councilman Dan Toth commended the contract.
"In my opinion border collies are the most efficient," he said. As opposed to traps or poisons or other deterrents, the dogs are the most effective type of control, he said.
Toth said the geese are a health issue, thanks to the massive amounts of toxic feces the geese leave behind. These are areas that can have environmental impact, but Toth is more concerned with residents who use these areas being exposed to health risks.
"There's children playing in these areas," he said. "Three hundred twenty-five dollars a week to protect the health of our children is worth it."
Border collies act as a natural predator to geese, in that the dog resembles the arctic fox. Goose Runners' dogs are trained and herd the geese, but do not harm them, according to the company.
The company has contracts with several townships, but also works for private businesses such as cemeteries and corporate sites or residential areas.
Professional handlers oversee the animals as they patrol the area.
Toth said the geese population can overwhelm an area, and control is often needed. For example, a Canada goose can live to 20 years, producing about 1.5 pounds of waste per day. A mother will lay five goslings per year. At that rate, the amount of fecal matter hitting the township's parks can grow exponentially.
Township council members were interested in seeing if Brick could share the goose control service with the township board of education, which has a similar activity to monitor its athletic fields and other property. An interlocal agreement between the township and school could save each body some money, Township Administrator Scott Pezzares said.
In other business, the township also approved a contract for its road construction materials in what Toth called another laudable measure.
Instead of paying for materials such as gravel and asphalt under one contract, the township split the contract into several dozen headings - one for each material. The township could ensure they were getting the best price by using several vendors, one of each type of material.
"Itemizing this contract made sense," Toth said. "I
expect we'll save a lot of money ... instead of paying one person X amount
for all the materials."
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