The city of Rincon, Ga., purchased a Border Collie for $2,000 to chase problem geese away from Lost Plantation Golf Club. Trainer Rebecca Gibson showed off the dogs’ talents with a demonstration for city officials.
The city of Rincon, Ga., has purchased a Border Collie to chase geese from Lost Plantation Golf Club, Savannah (Ga.) Now reported.
City council members agreed unanimously Monday to pay $2,000 for Bond, an 18-month-old dog that has been trained to chase birds. The city has had complaints from golfers and people who live on the golf course about the waste left by the geese, Now reported.
Each bird makes up to 2 pounds of waste each day and sometimes hundreds of the birds visit the course at once. Many of them stay in the area year-round, Now reported.
Bond will live with golf course superintendent Seth Zeigler, on his 10-acre parcel outside the city and with Zeigler’s Labrador, Lucky. Zeigler said he’ll get as much training as he needs to learn how to handle the dog, and up to two other city workers can be trained as backups, Now reported.
The dog, from Flyaway Farm and Kennels in Chadbourne, N.C., will cost the city an estimated $500 to $600 a year to feed and take to the veterinarian, said Flyaway owner Rebecca Gibson. She has been training dogs to chase birds for 20 years. They frequently are used to clear birds from airport runways, Now reported.
Gibson introduced Bond to reporters Thursday and used two Border Collies to demonstrate what they can do. Reporters and city officials watched Gibson use whistles and voice commands to have the dogs find the geese and chase them away from the city’s wastewater treatment plant:
The entourage then piled into about eight vehicles and drove to the golf course, where the dogs chased geese away from the 18th hole:
Gibson said unlike some police dogs, Bond can be approached and petted by members of the public. She said he likes the attention and she won’t be surprised if golfers start to carry treats in their pockets, Now reported.
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