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Geese found beaten, shot with darts at east Charlotte pond

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Geese are being attacked at a pond on Lake Forest Drive in east Charlotte, officials with Carolina Water Fowl Recue said.

Workers are focused on nursing nearly a dozen geese back to health.

"He has an incubator because he cannot maintain his body temperature, so that's going to help him, too," said Maria Brenes, with Carolina Waterfowl Rescue.

In the last several days, the rescue received reports of five geese that had been abused by people.

Two were beaten on Lake Forest Drive, and one died.

Volunteers caught a Canada goose Saturday that was shot with two darts in Gastonia. That goose survived.

Two geese were shot in Charlotte and one died.

"Who knows what goes on in their head, but it's too bad," resident John Towles said.

None of the cases are believed to be connected.

Two of the geese killed in the five cases had eggs.

Officials with the rescue are hatching them and tending to the goslings.

"They are quite independent but they need their parents," Brenes said.

Workers at the rescue said it's rare to have so many abuse cases in a row and they are offering a $500 reward for information.

"If someone knows something and calls the police, or they can call us and that would help us," Brenes said.

Canadia geese are protected under state and federal law and under federal law, it's at least a misdemeanor to kill one of them, which can result in a fine and even prison time.