Example Letter to your Local Councillors about a Goose Cull

Below is an example of a letter you can send to your local councillors asking them to oppose a goose cull in your area.

A councillor’s role is to represent and advocate for those that live in their area and to provide a bridge between the community and the council. If the cull is being carried out by your local council, you can ask one or more of your local councillors to approach the council on your behalf. If the cull is on private property, for example, a shop, they may still get involved.

If you can, please personalise the words, as this helps your letter have more impact, especially if other residents are also writing to them.

Dear Councillor [Name] 

I am writing as a resident of [your area] as I have discovered that the council is planning to cull geese at [location]. 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. 

Methods used to cull geese, such as trapping and shooting, are cruel and can inflict 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 that have been killed. 

There are many cost-effective humane alternatives to culling geese. These include obstructing access to water with fencing or plants and using 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 

As my local councillor I ask that you raise this issue within the council, asking them to reconsider their decision to cull the geese and instead opt for non-lethal humane methods.  

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

Yours sincerely, 

 

[Name] 

[Address] 

Find contact details for your local councillors