Local News

Police under scrutiny after incident with world’s unluckiest goose

Police said they wanted to put the waterfowl, which they believed had avian flu, out of its misery.

July 26, 2025

2 minutes to read

A video showing police in Shrewsbury shooting a Canada goose and stepping on its neck is drawing public criticism.

A witness captured video of the incident, in which officers are seen on the side of a busy road. One of the officers appears to be pointing a gun at the goose lying in a grassy area.

The officer shot the goose twice, according to a Boston 25 News report that aired the video. However, the bird survived both blasts. Another officer then stepped on the goose’s neck before an environmental police officer arrived and shot the goose a third time, killing it.

The police department released a statement saying that officers believed the bird was suffering from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as avian flu, which has been an ongoing problem in the community.

Police said the incident happened on South Quinsigamond Avenue after officers spotted a goose that “appeared to be in severe distress.”

After speaking with nearby residents and the local Animal Control Officer, who was off duty, officers determined that the goose was likely suffering from avian flu. The department said police decided to kill the bird in the interest of public safety and to prevent it from suffering.

“Unfortunately, our officer’s attempts to put the animal down were not as effective as they were intended to be,” the statement said. “A Massachusetts Environmental Police Officer responded to the scene, and was able to safely shoot and euthanize the goose. Our department will take this opportunity to review our responses to future similar calls, and make improvements where necessary.”

As Boston 25 News reports, the woman who captured the video says the goose appeared to have been hit by a car before the incident.

Police said that since January 2025, Shrewsbury Animal Control has removed at least 12 birds from the Lake Quinsigamond and Flint Pond area that were suspected of having HPAI. They’ve also gotten multiple reports of other sick or dead birds in the same area.

For several months, Massachusetts communities have grappled with outbreaks of avian flu. The disease is extremely contagious among birds and is usually deadly — with a nearly 100% fatality rate once birds are infected.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, humans can catch HPAI through close contact with infected birds. In those cases, the virus can be serious, with about a 50% fatality rate.

Raptor Tales Rescue of Shrewsbury released a statement saying rehabilitators were “disappointed and disgusted” with the actions police took in euthanizing the bird. The group said, “many humane options were available for this animal,” and that police should have done a more thorough job assessing the situation.

“As a rescue, watching this video churns our stomachs. Once it was publicly posted, calls began rolling in, emails, texts and messages to the rescue from several people on site but at that point the goose was deceased,” the rescue organization said, adding that it regularly handles birds with avian flu and neurological problems.

“Please do better SPD, ask for help if you are not knowledgeable regarding wildlife euthanasia, or handling/restraint, wait for trained professionals or call a wildlife rehabilitator (we are right here!),” the group said. “While we highly respect our officers and the difficult job they perform daily, a better explanation is needed for what we can only describe as animal cruelty.”