News 14 Carolina's Johnell Johnson has more on the process Nature's Gate uses to drive away the bothersome birds.
CHARLOTTE -- The effort to get rid of geese in the University area got under way Tuesday morning but the company in charge decided to change its approach.
In a story reported Monday by News 14 Carolina, University Place property managers hired Nature’s Gate Inc. to remove the nearly 150 geese that call the area home. They say the birds are not only a nuisance but their fecal matter can be a potential health hazard, possibly spreading E. coli.
University Place property managers say the geese are a nuisance and could be a potential health hazard.
"Geese can produce up to three pounds of feces a day," Nature’s Gate COO Tim Jackson said.
To remove the bothersome birds from behind the shopping center on J.W. Clay Boulevard, Jackson will use a thermal fogger. The non-lethal fog contains a concentrated extract from grape seeds that gets in the geese’s throats and noses, causing them to run away.
"Our company was started by certified arborists who saw a need for animals to be controlled without being killed," said Jackson.
In addition to the fogger, the company often uses paintball guns on the job. Since the foggers only worked near the edges of the pond, the paintball gun would be used to shoot near the birds, rippling the water and leading them toward the fog.
The non-lethal fog contains a concentrated extract from grape seeds that gets in the geese’s throats and noses, causing them to run away.
But after receiving calls and e-mail from concerned groups, Nature’s Gate decided not to use the guns.
Jackson says his method of chasing away the geese is more effective than using dogs. He says he can accomplish in a week what it takes dogs two months to do.
"We want to do something that's animal friendly and something that's a continuing trend in our culture," he said.
Jackson will continue to fog the area near the University Place Shoppes throughout the week.