Policeman saves injured goose By MAEGAN CLEARWOOD Student intern | Posted: Thursday, June 14, 2012 1:00 am CHESTERTOWN It was Pfc. Michael Boehmer's day off, but when he spotted a hungry goose, abandoned by its flock with a hook trapping its lower beak to its chest, he didn't care that he wasn't getting paid – he was on a mission. "All the other geese had left him. He was just sitting there with some ducks and he couldn't eat or drink," he said. "Something had to be done." Boehmer, a member of the Chestertown Police Department, wasn't the first to hear about the injured bird – people had been reporting sightings of an injured goose by the Fish Whistle restaurant on the water at the end of Cannon Street – but he was the first to make a rescue attempt. On June 4 he headed down to the docks with a blanket and pair of pliers, hoping to restrain the animal and pry Boehmer out the hook. The goose rescue turned out to be a two person job, however, and Boehmer contacted Humane Society of Kent County Executive Director Terri Wilkes for extra help. Wilkes said she was impressed by Boehmer's dedication and was happy to give him a hand. "It was his day off, which I thought was very sweet," she said. "I thought it was very nice that he'd been thinking about the goose so much. "I was able to get the goose with the blanket to hold him, and Boehmer cut the hook out of its beak," she said. "[The goose] seemed to know we were helping him, so he settled down and let us help." Wilkes said her other experience with a goose rescue took place a few years ago when she helped a bird with a broken wing. "Geese can be temperamental. They're powerful. Their wings are really strong," she said. "It was a domestic goose, so I figured I could at least lend Boehmer a hand." Boehmer has less experience with animal rescues, but he said he wasn't nervous. "I was more scared he was going to bite my hand off once he was free," he said. The goose wasn't interested in retaliating once the hook was cut from his beak. He only had one thing on his mind: food. "He ate almost an entire piece of bread. He must have been hungry," Wilkes said. "Eating must have been very difficult. He had to compete with other birds." Wilkes said the goose had probably been injured for at least a few days, but it seemed perfectly healthy once it was free. "The bill wasn't really damaged. He didn't look dehydrated. He still looked very good," she said. As soon as he satisfied his appetite, the goose was on his way. "I was relieved. I was glad to see him eat and drink and get back in the water," Boehmer said.
Wilkes said the Humane Society doesn't typically handle wildlife emergencies, but she was glad to get a call from someone who wanted to help. "People always seem to notice when cats, dogs or pets need us or are in trouble. We don't normally handle wildlife, but we can refer them to people who can," she said. "I don't know how the goose got himself into trouble, but when you leave things like that, hooks or plastic around, it can be harmful for them." Although Boehmer didn't get any applause or recognition from onlookers as he cut the goose's beak free, he said his love for animals made the effort worthwhile. "I grew up around animals. I'm an animal lover," he said. "I don't feel like a hero. It was just something that needed to be done."