(WWJ) "Tell Gov Whitmer Don't Gas Geese!"
That's the message on a billboard catching drivers' eyes along I-96 near Wixom Road — featuring a massive photo of a Canada goose that does not look too happy.
So, what's this all about?
Animal advocates are urging Michigan residents to speak up at the Michigan Natural Resources Commission Meeting, set for this Thursday in Lansing.
At the meeting, officials are slated to approve more permits to round up geese statewide and kill them using gas.
Katie Nolan, with the group "In Defense of Animals," says there are other, non-lethal alternatives to gassing geese, which she says are not only less cruel but more effective in dealing with these sometimes problematic birds.
"One is goose relocation. They can round geese up and actually move them to different areas," said Nolan, speaking live on WWJ Newsradio 950 on Wednesday.
"The one I advocate for the most is prevention; prevention is key: implementing riparian buffers, planting shrubs. We essentially design these spaces that are attractive to geese parks, lawns, shorelines and then we get mad at the geese when they're attracted to these areas," she said.
"So, kind of making them a less appealing for geese is a great way to prevent, conflicts. And there's also hazing methods that exist to scare geese away and keep them from being interested in coming to these areas."
Why is it so important that we protect the geese?
"I think that geese are an iconic species... they're beautiful animals. They're protected in our Migratory Bird Treaty Act," Nolan said. "We were sending a message that it's OK to be cruel to animals when we kill them.
"We're not addressing the root cause of these issues that are that geese are blamed for these issues of water pollution. Instead, we're kind of using geese as a scapegoat and we're sending a message that it's OK to be cruel to them and it's OK to kill them."
The DNR meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 9:30 a.m., at the Lansing Community College, West Campus Rooms M119-121 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing, MI 48917.
Learn more about this cause at www.idausa.org/gas.