Published: Wednesday, 17th December 2025
An urgent appeal for information has been issued after a large number of butchered geese were dumped at the side of the road for the second time in 10 days.
On the most recent occasion, 31 greylag geese were found in Terrington St Clement. They had string around their necks and their breasts had been removed. Last week 39 pink-footed geese were found in Walton Highway, also with their breasts removed.
Cllr Sandra Squire, Cabinet Member for Environment and Coastal, said:
“There are so many offences here I hardly know where to start. Most serious, of course, are the animal welfare and food safety issues.
“These birds have clearly been killed for their meat but there has been no oversight of their slaughter and no assurance that they have not experienced undue suffering.
“They have then been butchered but there has been no oversight of how the meat has been handled. These birds could be diseased and the butchering may have been done in unsanitary conditions, making it unsafe for humans to eat.
“As a final insult, they have been dumped at the side of the road, which is also illegal as fly-tipping, may attract vermin and creates a health hazard.
“If anyone has any information about this at all please get in touch to help us put a stop to this behaviour.”
In the first incident, 39 geese and one pigeon were found at the side of St Paul’s Road, Wisbech. It is not known when the animals were dumped but they were reported to the council on 7 December. They appeared to have been shot and had blue string around their necks.
In the second incident, 31 geese reported to the council on 15 December. They were found at the side of Market Lane, near Terrington St Clement in similar circumstances, also having been shot and found with blue string around their necks.
Anyone with information about these offences can email csnn@west-norfolk.gov.uk or call 01553 616200 quoting reference 25/07963.