Many cities struggle to manage Canada geese that flock into their urban parks and waterways. Few have dealt with the issue like Denver did more than five years ago.
After failing to shrink its goose population using non-lethal methods, the Mile High City opted to kill more than 2,000 birds in 2019 and 2020. It then worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to process the fowl into meat for local charities serving hungry families.
The park-to-table plan led to immediate pushback from residents and animal rights advocates, who claimed the strategy was cruel and undertaken without sufficient public input. It also kicked off a viral media frenzy big enough to earn a nickname: #Goosegate…