CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — A goose is recovering at the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue after getting hit with a baseball bat.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said an employee at Europa, a sports drink company in south Charlotte, acted in self-defense when he saw the goose flying toward his head.
Europa spokesman Jeff Compton agreed.
"There is a specific male goose that has recently become very aggressive and repeatedly charges people," he said.
Compton said the company has contacted Animal Control and asked them to remove the geese, but nothing was done.
Jennifer Gordon, who works at Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, said the goose lost an eye in the incident.
"The pressure on his brain was enormous with the amount of swelling he had," she said.
Gordon picked the animal up outside of Europa.
"He was laying in a ditch behind the building, bleeding badly from his head," she said.
Now, Gordon says the goose faces a long road of recovery.
"This particular bird has nightmares," she said. "He wakes up in a panic and he jumps up, and he has his wings out like he's dreaming."
Gordon said she plans to stick with the animal while it is recovering.