To the Editor:

On Monday night (April 13), a proposal regarding Washington’s waterfowl population at Veterans Park will be discussed at the City Council meeting. One of the proposals is for the USDA to allow the Canada geese to be rounded up and killed, at a cost to Washington. There is a nonprofit organization near Charlotte that has offered to come and get the domestic ducks, at no charge to the city. Carolina Waterfowl Rescue would also gladly take the Canada geese and relocate them, if allowed. However, only the USDA can issue a permit for relocation of Canada geese.

If no compromise is reached for the Canada geese to remain in the Veterans Park area, they will be destroyed unless the USDA issues a permit for their relocation. I have recently heard and seen the term “euthanasia” to describe this. Euthanasia is the merciful killing of an animal that is suffering beyond recovery. Killing healthy animals when a rescue group is willing to relocate them is just plain killing.

I went to Veterans Park and Havens Gardens (one) morning and randomly asked people who were out enjoying the nice weather if they were bothered by the geese or their droppings. None of them were, and all of them were surprised to hear that these beautiful birds might soon be destroyed.

Please consider coming to Monday’s city council meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m., to support the geese and encourage humane alternatives. The address is Room 214, Municipal Building, 102 E. Second St.

Kay Evans

Chocowinity