The Town of Tecumseh is bringing in a team of border collies to help reduce the goose population at Lakewood Park.
The dogs will work off-leash using a "stalk and stare" method to mimic the behaviour of wild predators.
"The method they use is basically called herding. So they will go and run towards the geese, disrupt them. They do not touch the geese. They are trained just to herd and move," said Paul Anthony, Director of Parks and Recreation with the Town of Tecumseh.
The dogs will be on-site periodically over the next two to three months to deter the geese from nesting and settling in the park. Anthony says the method has been used by golf courses and other area parks and has proven effective. If a nest is established in the park it will not be disturbed.
Residents are asked not to interfere with the dogs while they are on-site working.
"The dogs will be clearly marked with a vest that they are working dogs. There will be signage put up when the dogs are on-site to let the population know that they are there, to respect that, to don't disrupt what they are doing. If you have a dog with you ensure it's on leash as it's supposed to be," said Anthony.
The dogs will work on both the North and South sides of Lakewood Park. The dogs are being used to mimic the behaviour of a predator so will be used at various times of the day and early evening.
