WATCH: Police and the SPCA are looking into two cases in Greater Victoria in the past few weeks where Canada geese were struck. April Lawrence reports.
Staff at the SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre were nursing a Canada goose back to health Friday, but another one they took in Thursday night wasn’t so lucky.
“We did stabilize the bird with fluids and oxygen but unfortunately it was deceased this morning,” said Margeurite Sans, wildlife rehabilitator with SPCA’s Wild ARC.
A feather remained at the scene on Songhees Road where two geese were struck by a car around 5 p.m. Thursday.
“What we heard is that occurred intentionally,” said Sans.
A witness told CHEK News a man appeared to purposefully drive through several geese and then took off.
But Victoria police say the driver told them he did go back to check the damage but was being yelled at by people on the street, so he left the scene and called them.
This is the second time someone has run over Canada geese in the past few weeks.
Officials say a pick-up truck appeared to intentionally hit several geese at the Esquimalt lagoon, a migratory bird sanctuary, on July 22.
According to West Shore RCMP, a vehicle had slowed to let a gaggle of geese cross the road on Beach Drive when a vehicle pulled around and drove through them.
“It’s always alarming when someone views wildlife with the lens of wanting to intentionally hurt them,” said Sans.
RCMP, in that case, haven’t identified a suspect but are investigating possible motor vehicle act charges.
The SPCA says while Canada geese may be considered a nuisance to some, hurting one intentionally is animal cruelty.
“What they could face is fines, the amount of the fine would depend on the seriousness of the incident and how many animals were involved,” said Sans.
The driver from Thursday night’s incident was handed two tickets for driving without due care and attention and leaving the scene of a crash.
April Lawrence
