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UK: Animal lovers protest using lasers to scare away geese
A Grade I listed mansion has come under fire for using a handheld laser to deter geese from the property. Hall Place, a Tudor home listed for its "exceptional interest" in spring 2019 had a greater-than-usual number of Canada geese, which led to visitor complaints about geese droppings.
The manager of Hall Place, the Bexley council, introduced the laser to reduce the number of geese.
According to a May 17 2019 news story, "The geese are said not to be hurt by the laser and perceive the approaching beam as a physical danger or predator-like presence and so disperse."
But members of the public and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals raised concerns. Some of these were about the safety of aiming laser light towards the animals. An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “As with humans, we would not support shining a laser directly into an animal’s eye."
Other concerns were about forcing the geese to leave their "home." One person who started a petition said "The laser shoots out this green light that gives a shock that tells them it is not safe… If we keep pushing them away, there will be nowhere for them to go."
From the Evening Standard
The manager of Hall Place, the Bexley council, introduced the laser to reduce the number of geese.
According to a May 17 2019 news story, "The geese are said not to be hurt by the laser and perceive the approaching beam as a physical danger or predator-like presence and so disperse."
But members of the public and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals raised concerns. Some of these were about the safety of aiming laser light towards the animals. An RSPCA spokeswoman said: “As with humans, we would not support shining a laser directly into an animal’s eye."
Other concerns were about forcing the geese to leave their "home." One person who started a petition said "The laser shoots out this green light that gives a shock that tells them it is not safe… If we keep pushing them away, there will be nowhere for them to go."
From the Evening Standard