Oregon State Police are looking into a suspected animal cruelty incident after residents reported that a cherished local goose had been struck repeatedly by BB pellets.
The goose, affectionately named Princess Collette and known around Lake Oswego, Oregon, as something of a neighborhood fixture, died Tuesday from gunshot-related injuries following what locals believe was an intentional BB gun attack.
Collette’s abrupt and disturbing death has devastated nearby residents, especially bird lover Della Shanley, who had grown close to the goose while caring for her over several months.
‘I loved her seriously. We all loved her,’ Shanley, visibly heartbroken, told KOIN about the feathered companion she had come to adore.
Shanley’s connection with the birds grew so meaningful that she launched an online page, ‘Fowl Relationships on Oswego Lake,’ where she posted photos and stories of the wildlife she had come to recognize and cherish.
Now, one of the most familiar birds is no longer there.
Last week, Collette appeared by herself at Shanley’s dock, visibly hurt and unable to properly move her right wing after what neighbors suspect was a targeted assault.
Alarmed, Shanley sought immediate help and brought Collette to veterinarian Lisa Harrenstien, a board-certified zoological medicine specialist at Tanasbourne Veterinary, initially expecting doctors to uncover a sickness or an accidental injury.
A beloved goose who had become a cherished member of an Oregon lake community died on Tuesday
Instead, X-rays revealed a heartbreaking discovery.
‘That’s when we discovered that she had been shot several times,’ Shanley said.
The discovery transformed a troubling injury into a suspected act of cruelty, leaving residents devastated that a goose they had watched return every spring and was a part of their community could have been deliberately targeted.
‘I can’t imagine why a person would do that,’ Shanley lamented.
Tragically, despite her best efforts to save her, Collette died Tuesday.
Yet, this was not Collette’s first fight for survival.
Veterinarians said she had already suffered multiple previous injuries, including enduring fractures, and prevailed, managing to raise goslings and return to the lake year after year.
For Shanley, the loss has only strengthened her determination to protect the wildlife she has spent years looking after.
Caretaker Dana Shanley, who spent time feeding the ducks and geese that took lodging in the lake, was devastated after the death was not of natural causes but instead due to a multitude of gunshot wounds
‘So my mission was to save Collette. My mission now is to stop this cruelty,’ she declared.
Now, those who cared for Collette hope her story will encourage anyone with information about the alleged shooting to come forward and remind anyone there are humane ways to handle conflicts with animals.
The incident has also renewed warnings about the dangers posed by BB guns, which are often mistaken for harmless toys despite being capable of inflicting devastating injuries.
Wildlife experts say the pellets can penetrate flesh, damage organs and leave animals to suffer slow, painful deaths if they are not rescued.
In the United States, geese are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
State police said shooting a goose outside hunting season, especially with a prohibited weapon like a BB gun, could lead to criminal charges, including hunting within city limits.
Authorities continue to investigate who is responsible for Collette’s death.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Oregon police for comment.
