Alabama HOA Planned to Euthanize 200 Geese. Its Own Residents Stopped It.
A homeowners' association in Madison, Alabama, has reversed its decision to euthanize more than 200 Canada geese — backing down after days of protests, a petition with nearly 2,000 signatures, and an outpouring of community pressure that caught the attention of people well beyond the neighborhood.
The Original Vote
The Edgewater HOA board voted June 9 to approve a mass cull of the Canada geese living at Lady Ann Lake, a 140-acre community lake at the heart of the subdivision. Board president Brian Goodwin said the population had grown to 226 birds and was no longer sustainable, citing deteriorating water quality, public health concerns, damage to walking trails, and safety issues.
The HOA said it had spent more than six years attempting non-lethal management methods — including twice-daily cleaning of feces-covered sidewalks, shoreline plantings, and predator silhouettes — before concluding a cull was necessary. The method under consideration was the same one used in 2020, when the HOA previously received a USDA permit: nets are shot over flocks of geese, the birds are loaded into a trailer, and gassed with carbon monoxide.
Board member Jack Hollum, one of two members who voted against the original plan, described the process as "an agonizing death" given that geese can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes. He also noted the 2020 cull didn't solve the problem — another flock repopulated the neighborhood within two weeks.
Residents Took to the Streets
The backlash was immediate. Residents staged multiple days of protests outside the subdivision, many saying they had never personally experienced the aggression or safety problems the board described.
"I walk around this lake every single day, two miles a day. I walk with my dog. I walk with my daughter. Never had an issue. They're not aggressive. Anytime you get near them, they literally just wobble away," said protestor Teresa Rhymer.
A petition to stop the cull gathered nearly 2,000 signatures. Local business owners also stepped in — Ryan Roberson and Joshua Moore of Vanguard Crawlspace and Waterproofing met with the HOA on Monday to present non-lethal alternatives.
A professional goose management company, FlyAway Geese, also offered to use trained border collies to haze the flock — a method that mimics natural predator behavior and encourages geese to relocate on their own. "They stalk things, and it's that body presence and movement for the border collie that to the bird, appears like a wolf and a coyote," said FlyAway Geese's representative. "We may show up early in the morning one day, late in the evening the next day, mid-day. We want to convince them that there's no time of the day that that predator may not show up."
The Reversal
On June 16, the Edgewater HOA board voted to reverse its decision. In a statement, the board said it had heard from residents through emails, phone calls, and direct conversations, and wanted to ensure residents had a stronger role in decisions affecting the neighborhood.
"One of the most important responsibilities of the Board is to listen to the residents we serve. We have heard your voices, and we want to channel that passion into productive solutions," the board said.
Going forward, the HOA is committing to spend the next 12 months working with residents and a newly formed Wildlife and Environmental Impact Subcommittee to research humane, long-term solutions for managing the goose population. Residents interested in serving on the subcommittee will be invited to express interest through the HOA. The board said any future proposals will include additional research and resident input before any action is taken.
Roberson noted that relocation remains a challenge since geese tend to return to familiar habitats. "The issue is that the flock wants to come back to their home," he said. "We're going to continue to discuss options like deterrents used at airports."
The geese, for now, remain at Lady Ann Lake.
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