REDDISH NATURE RESERVE Mill Lane

November 2008

Once again I tried to explain to a daddy that chasing geese is not the sort of behaviour to teach children. I usually ask four year olds if they would like someone to come into their home and chase them away. To have to ask a grown man this after being insulted for asking him politely not to do it is, unfortunately, a sign of the times. I was asked if I could read and if so to look up on the internet how dangerous geese are.

I was told that not having dogs on leads is unacceptable. (Not in those words) They also were dangerous to the children. Mummy also stressed how dangerous dogs are. I told her it was not a good idea to frighten children unnecessarily.

I wanted to say also that our dogs and the geese are good friends. I offered to show how tame our geese were by feeding them by hand but daddy did not want to look a fool in front of his children. He asked,"Would I guarantee his children would not be bitten?"

"Yes I would." More abuse.

I could not get him to understand that if you come to the feeding area with bread, the geese will come out of the water to be at the front. He could not understand that they are used to being fed. Yes a goose may well bite if you lure it out of the water and then lunge at it.

I had two "dangerous" dogs and I explained that they would not bite him even if I told them to. They have never bitten anybody. Why do such people bother to look at animals. They obviously do not like them.