Geese Extermination Polarizes Peapack and Gladstone: Opposition Grows for Humane Alternatives

In Peapack and Gladstone, the residents and business owners are divided on the town’s decision to exterminate geese due to concerns about fecal droppings in public areas. While some individuals support the plan, others are outraged by it.

Despite opposition from local residents, officials in Peapack and Gladstone have stated that the decision to exterminate the geese is a last resort after facing continuous challenges with the geese in the Somerset County borough. However, some people believe that it is a necessary step to address the health and safety concerns caused by the geese droppings.

Local residents have expressed their desire for alternative options before resorting to euthanization, such as using drones to deter the geese from public areas or implementing a humane plan to addle goose eggs during spring and round up the geese during molting season for euthanization. The New Jersey Animal Protection League has suggested these measures as potential alternatives.

Peapack and Gladstone Borough Council Member Jamie Murphy has collaborated with the United States Department of Agriculture to develop a plan that involves addling goose eggs in spring and then rounding up geese during molting season for humane euthanization. However, this plan has sparked controversy within the community, leading to a petition titled “Stop Peapack-Gladstone from killing Canada Geese at Liberty Park” which has garnered over 2,500 signatures.

The debate surrounding the geese extermination plan intensified during a council meeting on March 5 when officials decided to gas them. As tensions rise, some advocates are calling for more humane solutions to address goose-related problems in Peapack and Gladstone.

Overall, it seems that Peapack-Gladstone remains divided on whether or not euthanizing Canada Geese is an effective solution for addressing health and safety concerns caused by their droppings in public areas like walkways, benches, and ponds.