SHREWSBURY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Police in Shrewsbury are facing backlash after a video surfaced of officers shooting a distressed goose on July 20.
After speaking with residents and consulting with an off-duty Animal Control Officer, officers determined that the goose was likely suffering from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), prompting them to put the animal down.
Footage of the incident shows officers on South Quinsigamond Avenue shooting the goose twice and then stepping on its neck after the animal survived both shots. Eventually, an environmental officer arrived to euthanize the goose.
The Shrewsbury Police Department has since issued a statement, saying their officers' attempts to put the animal down were not as effective as they intended to be, and they will review their responses to future similar calls to make improvements where necessary.
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According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, HPAI is highly contagious among birds with a near 100% fatality rate. The fatality rate is 50% for humans if infected after close contact, as the disease is also highly contagious among people.
Since January 2025, Shrewsbury Animal Control has removed at least 12 waterfowl from Flint Pond and Lake Quinsigamond that were suspected of having HPAI. The department has also received several reports of sick or dead birds in the area.
Earlier in the year, state public health and environmental officials released a statement announcing that bird flu is now considered widespread across Massachusetts. Health officials are advising the public to refrain from interacting with birds that appear sick or dead and to report any suspected cases they encounter.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.