A teenager in Winnipeg is facing animal cruelty charges after allegedly driving over Canada geese with an SUV, killing most of them, according to police.
Incident Details
Winnipeg Police reported that the teen was on a Saturday night drive when he drove over geese in the areas of Henlow Bay and Sterling Lyon Parkway. Officers stated that a sleeping goose was injured in a Henlow Bay parking lot shortly before 10 p.m., and two sleeping geese were killed minutes later. Two more geese were killed shortly after 10 p.m. after being chased from their nest and run over in a strip mall parking lot on Sterling Lyon Parkway.
Arrest and Charges
Police identified a white 2024 Subaru Solterra through security footage, tracked the teenager to his home, and arrested him on Monday. He was charged with five counts of killing or injuring animals. The teen was released from custody with a court date, but the investigation remains ongoing. Manitoba Conservation was also notified, as Canada geese are considered a protected species.
Legal Protections for Canada Geese
It is illegal to kill or harm Canada geese, and it is also illegal to disturb their nests and eggs without a federal permit. They are classified as game birds, so hunting is permitted only during designated seasons. Canada geese thrive in urban environments and human-altered areas, though they tend to avoid humans. These environments provide abundant food sources such as manicured lawns, water bodies like stormwater retention ponds, puddles, and rivers, along with few natural predators. They are commonly found in parks, shorelines, and golf courses.
