Ottawa police are investigating after someone allegedly stomped on a gosling in Kanata.
Officers responded to an animal cruelty call in the 400 block of Hazeldean Road at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday.
Police say it appears that Canada geese laid eggs in the area, “and on May 21, a suspect stomped on one of the hatched babies.”
Photos shared with CTV News Ottawa show the geese and goslings in a planter outside a store on Hazeldean Road.
Kindell Tolmie, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Kanata, located in the same plaza, said a new hatchling was first noticed earlier this week.
“We were very excited on Tuesday to show up that morning and see that there was a little baby gosling,” Tolmie said.
But at some point, an individual in the area apparently agitated the mother goose.
“So, there was an individual that was walking down the sidewalk and provoked the female goose, who then left the nest,” said Tolmie. “The baby gosling followed its mom and at that time, this individual stepped on it repeatedly.”
Safe Wings Ottawa has safely relocated both parents and the two surviving babies “due to concerns about their safety at the original location,” according to police.
A sign in a planter outside a business on Hazeldean Road in Kanata says two Canada Geese and their babies have been moved to a pond. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)
Police say officers are conducting a thorough investigation and working with Safe Wings Ottawa.
“Good news, mama continued on her eggs, and there were two little goslings there yesterday that we were able to relocate with the help of Safe Wings volunteers,” Tolmie said. “They trapped them and were able to move them to a nearby pond. So, they’re still in Kanata, but they’re now on water and they’re raising their babies.”
Two Canada Geese and two surviving goslings were relocated to a pond in Kanata on Wednesday. Ottawa police are investigating the death of a gosling on Tuesday. (Wild Birds Unlimited/submitted)
–With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Dave Charbonneau