Example Letter to Organisers of a Goose Cull

The first person you should contact is the organiser. You can email, write or speak to them on the phone or face to face.

Below is an example of a letter you can send to a person or organisation planning to cull geese in your area. If you can, please personalise the words, as this helps your letter have more impact, especially if other residents are also contacting them.

Dear [Name] 

I was shocked to see that [who] are planning to cull geese at [location]. As a local resident I am asking you to reconsider.  

I, like many people, enjoy seeing geese and other wildlife in our local area. To persecute and kill these beautiful creatures is likely to be extremely unpopular with people.  

Methods used to cull geese, such as trapping and shooting, are cruel and can cause terrible suffering. Geese generally mate for life and may pine for many months following the loss of their mate. Shooting also poses a risk to other wildlife in the area. 

As well as being cruel, killing geese does not work, so it is a waste of resources. If there is a good source of food in an area and the environment remains attractive, more geese will quickly move into the area to replace those who have been killed.  

There are many cost-effective humane alternatives to culling. For geese, these include obstructing access to water with fencing or plants and using physical deterrents such as balloon-kites. These, and other methods, are explained in the following resources: 

  1. Animal Aid’s ‘Alternatives to Culling’ booklet: https://www.animalaid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/alternativestoculling2022-4.pdf 
  2. Animal Aid’s Birds Advice sheet: https://www.animalaid.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Birds-advice-sheet_May2019.pdf 

You may also want to get in touch with Humane Wildlife Solutions to help you find an ethical solution. Their telephone number is 07771 361226. 

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely, 

 

[Name] 

Local resident 

Add your phone number if you are happy to discuss this on the phone.
 

 

Tips 

  • If your local council is carrying out the cull you may want to say how you object to your council tax money being wasted on such a cruel and pointless exercise.  
  • Include details of other actions you have taken or are planning to take, such as starting a petition or writing to your local councillors.  
  • If you haven’t received a response in two weeks, we suggest contacting them again, to check they have received your letter.  

 

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