Animal Aid speak out against goose cull at celebrity-favourite Wimbledon Park Golf Club

A Facebook post shared by London Wildlife Protection, which contained photographs of traps, was shared more than 70 times on Facebook, and had commenters describing the cull as ‘cruel’ and ‘disgusting’.  People reached out to Animal Aid after seeing the post.

The course is located in Wimbledon Park, and according to media reports has members including Piers Morgan, Ant McPartlin, Dec Donnelly, and former cabinet secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell.

A variety of humane deterrence methods were suggested to the club as an effective way to resolve any issues relating to the geese, but without harming them. There are a wide range of ways to deter geese, including balloon kites, fencing, and vegetation on the edge of water or ponds. A combination of humane deterrence methods is usually most effective.

Animal Aid feel strongly that culling animals is not only cruel, but not an effective way of resolving any conflict, as it is very likely that any geese who are killed will be replaced by other geese, or the offspring of survivors. In order to successfully resolve issues with geese, they must be deterred in a humane fashion, by making the area where they are residing less desirable. 

We encourage anyone who wishes to help, to politely reach out to the golf club and ask them to take culling off the table as an option, and explore humane deterrence methods.