Politics & Government
Protest Planned In Bergen County To Stop The Gassing Of Geese At One North Jersey Airport
Animal lovers say they want officials to "develop a comprehensive nonlethal program" to deal with geese at an airport in Bergen County.
BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The Animal Protection League of NJ and other animal lovers will protest on Saturday "the impending capture and gassing of Canada geese at Teterboro Airport and entities contracted with Teterboro and USDA-Wildlife Services that are allowing access to their properties."
Animal lovers say they have offered to alternatives to gassing the geese to death, but they have been ignored.
Recently, a group called "Save the Peapack-Gladstone Liberty Park Geese" was able to have geese safely removed from a park by scaring them off with a drone. Animal lovers say there are better ways to deal with geese than to gas entire goose families. READ MORE: Geese On Death Row Saved From Being Gassed At Somerset County Park: Video
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The Animal Protection League said, "Teterboro Airport has been gassing Canada geese and many other bird species and mammals for decades. The Airport has an ongoing contract with the USDA-Wildlife Services and in 2022 gassed 827 innocent geese. Teterboro should implement Robin Radar and Flight Turf and develop a comprehensive nonlethal program.
"In air traffic areas, at best it’s irresponsible not to use the most effective methods, at worst, it can be dangerous, providing a false sense of security."
Find out what's happening in Ridgewood-Glen Rockfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
They said that each year, from mid-June to mid-July, Canada geese go through a molt period in which they lose their flight feathers. That's when, they say, the federal Department of Agriculture, hired by towns or businesses, comes in to round up the flightless adults and goslings, put them into a gas chamber, and kill them.
"It takes 15 agonizing minutes and sometimes up to 45 minutes before the geese suffocate and die," the Protection League said in a release this week. "This is the highest level of animal cruelty."
The protest is scheduled for this Saturday, June 1, from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., rain or shine. It will take place at 111 Industrial Ave. and
Route 46 East, Teterboro.
Read more about the Protection League here.
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