Bristol leaders delay decision on plan to euthanize geese

BRISTOL, CT (WFSB) - Leaders in Bristol were expected to decide on a plan to control the city’s geese population.

But the geese in Bristol will live to see another day.

City leaders put off voting on a plan to kill the birds that have been taking over a park.

A meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at City Hall.

There were strong opinions on either side of the aisle, hoping to sway the city council’s decision.

Some residents said they have been fed up with the droppings the birds have left at Memorial Boulevard Park.

Besides geese droppings, they say aggression and overgrazing are problems.

Last month, the parks board voted to come up with a geese management plan.

Part of that plan is potentially euthanizing the geese in the summer, while they’re shedding and flightless.

“This beautiful piece of land that has been dedicated to those who have given everything… this is the sight that we want to do a mass execution of geese.”

A representative for the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says other towns have enacted a plan to get rid of geese in the area, but none have used the euthanasia plan on the table for Bristol.

The plan sparked outrage from animal advocates, who have been pushing the mayor to come up with a more humane solution.

“We as a community create a task force focused on designing a comprehensive, humane mitigation plan.”

Some residents say preserving the park that honors veterans is important.

“There comes a time when too much is too much. You can’t put 5 pounds in a one-pound bag without it exploding.”

The back-and-forth continued for two hours.

No decision was made, signaling a win for the geese and their supporters.

“There’s probably a combination of things that will not make everybody happy, but there’s probably a combination of things we should consider. But we should consider it all before we make a decision”

This topic will be put back on the agenda for the next meeting.

The council says within that time, they’ll look into other options to clean up the park.

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