Shrewsbury Officer Steps On, Shoots Goose In Video: Report

SHREWSBURY, MA — The Shrewsbury Police Department is under scrutiny after a video surfaced showing a troubling incident with a goose last week.

A news report from Boston 25 aired a video, which showed one officer shooting the goose twice, and another officer stepping on its neck on July 20. That was before a Massachusetts Environmental Police Officer arrived to safely shoot the goose and kill it, according to police.

The department faced much scrutiny from residents after the incident, prompting a response.

The department released a statement saying the Canada Goose needed to be put down. There was no Animal Control Officer on duty, leaving the task up to the police officers, according to the release.

Officers said the goose appeared to be in severe distress, and they came to the determination that it was suffering from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

The virus, also known as bird flu, is highly contagious among birds with a near 100% fatality rate. It can also be spread to humans, with a fatality rate of nearly 50%.

The Shrewsbury Police Department said they decided to put the animal down for the safety of the public and to stop the bird from suffering.

“Unfortunately, our officer’s attempts to put the animal down were not as effective as they were intended to be,” wrote Chief Kevin Anderson in the release. “Our department will take this opportunity to review our responses to future similar calls, and make improvements where necessary."