Arrow Impaled Goose Finds Happy Ending At San Dimas Reservoir

SAN DIMAS, CA — Residents have followed the story of a Bonelli Park and Puddingstone Reservoir goose that was struck with an arrow but is otherwise living a normal grey-goose life. Except for the fact that the arrow was embedded in its shoulder. No one knows how it got there, but the goose didn't seem to mind.

On Wednesday, the story of San Dimas' arrow-impaled goose came to a happy end, when the projectile safely fell from the bird during a failed rescue attempt by the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and the Inland Valley Humane Society.

For nearly three weeks, the impaled goose has been frolicking in area reservoirs, seemingly oblivious to the protrusion as it walked, swam and flew with ease and without any obvious pain. It has been seen preening around with the arrow that was shot through its chest, and residents have done their best to catch and help the feathered creature — but to no avail.

Resident Bob Dobbie was one of the first to reach out to local officials on Dec. 1.

"I was shocked when I saw him," Dobbie told ABC7 in a recent interview. "I could get within five to six feet of it, I don't know why anyone hasn't been able to catch it yet, but they sure need to."

On Wednesday at about 7:30 a.m., the goose was lured with food to the east shore of Puddingstone Reservoir, where another attempt was made to cast a net over it, according to the county Department of Animal Care and Control.

Although the net missed and the bird flew away, the arrow became dislodged on its own and fell to the ground. Animal care workers recovered the arrow and turned it over to the Inland Valley Humane Society.

As it has all month, the bird showed no apparent signs of discomfort as it flew off, finally arrow-free.

"We're extremely happy and relieved that there's a happy ending and that the goose seems to be safe and in good spirits," said John Wicker, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. "We've been trying diligently to capture this goose for the past three weeks with no luck as it kept flying away, so it's a great feeling to know that the arrow is now gone, and that the goose, hopefully, will now live a normal life."

The goose had become a local television celebrity thanks to media coverage of its plight.

Parks and Recreation officials were first alerted to the goose and its condition Dec. 1 by a park visitor. Since then, park staff, volunteers and members of the Inland Valley Humane Society and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife made several attempts to capture the goose, but the nimble bird easily eluded authorities.

The county Department of Animal Care and Control was called upon Tuesday for assistance, and officers spent several hours at the park, but still couldn't nab the goose, leading to Wednesday's peaceful conclusion to the saga.

"We're happy to have been a part of the efforts to help the injured goose," said Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. "We are glad to see that the goose is no longer suffering and we believe that the goose will recover as animals in nature typically do."

It was still unclear how the goose wound up with the arrow in its neck.

Youtube photo.