Officers responded shortly before 7 p.m. Sunday to the reported game violation on River Road. They determined a man working at the Meadows Golf Course had shot two juvenile goslings, said Police Chief Marc Mills.
Tom Pinckard, a neighbor to the course, witnessed the incident unfolding.
"I was sitting in this rocking chair with my binoculars looking at the geese, on the water. I saw a man pull out a rifle with a telescopic sight on it and begin shooting the birds. I was horrified," Pinckard said.
Officers brought one injured gosling to the High Desert Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation facility in Bend, where it's recovering from injuries, Mills said. The other was found dead at the location and was turned over to police as evidence.
After an investigation, police cited Joseph Neal Seevers, 39, of Bend, in lieu of custody on two counts each of animal abuse and the unlawful taking of a game animal, Mills said. His single-shot air rifle was confiscated for evidence, the chief added.
Why didn't they "arrest" him? I think in an effort to reduce jail overcrowding, some states have enacted laws that say for "minor crimes" (aka Misdemeanor crimes), the officer is to write a citation. By signing the citation, the suspect is promising to show up on their assigned court date. Basically the officer is "arresting" the suspect right there and "releasing" them on their own recognizance -- should the suspect now show up in court, a warrant can be issued for their custodial arrest. If the person refuses to sign the citation, they can be taken into custody (aka custodial arrest).
It says a lot about our animal cruelty laws in our country that the courts consider animal cruelty to be a "minor" offense. If you steal a lawn ornament off someone's yard, it's considered the same "minor" offense as shooting innocent animals or starving your pet nearly to death.
The surviving gosling is being kept at center is kept in an oxygen chamber. Veterinary technician Jeannette Bonomo said they're trying to keep him quiet and limit his activity. The bird has a broken femur.
Bonomo said getting geese or wildlife off properties is understandable, but there's always a right way to do it instead shooting.
"Given that there are humane ways to get the geese away, there's not excuse for it. It's flat out cruel," Bonomo said.
"It was later determined that Sunriver Resort management had no knowledge of Seevers' actions," Mills said, adding that Sunriver police worked in cooperation with Oregon State Police game troopers on the incident.
At last sighting, the two adult geese were attending to the remaining goslings, Mills said.
"It is hoped that the injured gosling will be returned to its family after recovering from its injuries," he added.
Sunriver Resort Area Managing Director Tom O'Shea issued the following statement:
"On Sunday, April 17th, our management team was informed that an employee fired an air rifle at geese on the Meadows golf course, which is currently closed to the public. This staff member acted on their own accord, without prior authorization or approval from our supervisory team.
"Sunriver Resort does not condone this type of activity on property. Sunriver Resort and the employee are fully cooperating with local authorities. The resort is taking this matter extremely seriously and is investigating the situation internally to determine the next course of action," O'Shea added.
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| Photos provided by Pinckard, who says the geese have come to his property for years to have their babies |
Pinckard said the family of geese had nested on his porch for weeks. His wife, Suzie, said, there were a total of six baby goslings.
"It was very emotional, because these little geese have been on our deck. My wife had held them in her hands," Pinckard said.
Pinckard said his hope was that the golf course would come up with a management plan for co-existing with the wildlife and finding humane ways of removing certain animals from their property rather than resorting to injuring and killing them.
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