Picture it. You are strolling the new Glass City Metropark, walking to your car after a corporate lunch at the Old Bag of Nails, or watching the Manitowoc pass through the Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge. You sigh and think how wonderful river life truly is. Then, you look up and see a border collie chasing away a flock of geese.
Don’t worry; that’s supposed to be happening. All is as it should be, as long as you see the Ohio Geese Control (OGC) logo close in tow.
A Bit about the Company
Founded in 2014 by Jeff Hower, a former golf course manager, Ohio Geese Control’s mission is “to create a healthier and happier environment by humanely managing migratory bird populations. We want you to enjoy your outdoors.”
Their staff operates under a philosophy of love and respect for nature, working closely with the Ohio Division of Natural Resources to ensure their methods are humane and their customers satisfied.
OGC proudly helps office parks, airports, hospitals, universities, homes, and corporate facilities control those pesky geese problems. While they primarily serve northern Ohio, their service area reaches into Michigan and the Columbus area.
Canada Geese, not “Canadian” Geese
Territorial and ill-tempered, Canada Geese can produce up to two pounds of droppings a day. Not only can stepping in bird poop ruin a perfectly lovely family outing, the droppings can also carry Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria.
After near eradication in the 1900s, goose populations have made quite the comeback. They prefer short, highly fertilized grass and ponds, such as those found on golf courses, and stick to their newly found environments until their numbers swell. Because geese are a migratory species, with instinctive annual patterns, they will return year after year without mitigation.
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act states that it is illegal to hunt, kill, sell, purchase, or possess migratory birds or their parts (feather, nests, eggs, etc.) except as permitted by the Secretary of the Interior, US Fish and Wildlife Service. This limits the harvesting of birds like geese to specific timeframes and prevents commercial hunting for meat and eggs.
In northern Ohio, for example, there are three time frames with which geese can be hunted: 10/23-10/31, 11/6-12/26, and 1/1/2022-2/5/2022 (Ohio DNR). Ohio Geese Control GC works within these restrictions and adhere to recommendations made not only by the Department of Natural Resources, but also the Humane Society and PETA.
So, what is the best humane method to control the Canada Geese population?
Cue the Border Collies
The Ohio Geese Control utilizes a surprising, effective, and somewhat adorable technique: Trained border collies. As harassment (i.e. dogs chasing away geese anytime they dare show their beaks where they are not wanted) is nonlethal, they are more acceptable than the alternatives.
According to the folks at OGC, a border collie’s “natural instinct to herd and wolf-like glance” is an important part of their process. Their dogs are trained with specific handlers to respond to whistles and verbal cues.
So, if you do happen to spot Lassie (or Lassie’s close cousin, that is) chasing down a flock of geese on your afternoon river stroll, do not worry. It might just be the folks at OGC doing what they do best.
Visit their website for more information and a closer look at the services they offer: https://www.ohiogeesecontrol.com/
If you find yourself with a Canada geese problem, call 877-91GEESE before your goose gets cooked.
