A mother goose and her six goslings were deliberately run over in Wichita, prompting federal crime concerns and a wave of public anger over what witnesses are calling a calculated act of animal cruelty.
At a Glance
- A goose and six goslings were found dead in Wichita, arranged in a line across the street
- Witnesses say the driver intentionally targeted the birds
- Canada geese are protected under federal law, making the incident a potential felony
- The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks confirmed the act was illegal without a permit
- Similar goose killings have been reported in other states, raising concerns about a pattern
Witnesses Describe “Systematic” Killing
On a quiet Wichita road, what should have been an unremarkable morning turned gruesome when seven Canada geese—including a mother and her six goslings—were discovered dead, their bodies stretched across the pavement in a disturbingly straight line. Local witness Cylie Gillespie, who encountered the carnage, described it as a “massacre,” noting that each bird appeared to have been individually struck by a vehicle in a deliberate, spaced pattern rather than hit by accident.
“It didn’t look like they hit one and swerved to miss the rest,” she told KAKE News. “They hit one, and then continued to hit the remainder of the flock.”
The emotional toll was palpable. Gillespie reported being physically ill and overcome with grief at the sight, saying, “I cried, I needed a hug… I was very angry. I was just disgusted with humanity.”
Legal Ramifications Under Federal Wildlife Protections
The slaughter of Canada geese isn’t just a moral affront—it may be a federal offense. The birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which prohibits harming or killing migratory birds without a specific permit. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks confirmed that this incident likely constitutes an illegal act, and investigations are underway to identify the responsible party.
Community members are pushing for swift law enforcement action, not just to uphold legal protections but to send a clear message that cruelty toward animals won’t be tolerated. Wichita officials acknowledged the incident as “unfortunate” and urged drivers to be “considerate” of wildlife—a response that many residents felt fell short of the moment.
Watch a report: Geese Run Over in Kansas Sparks Federal Crime Concerns.
Pattern of Goose Attacks Raises Alarms
Alarmingly, Wichita isn’t the only city grappling with this kind of cruelty. In McCandless, Pennsylvania, another driver was seen revving a Ford Explorer before intentionally mowing down a family of geese, an act caught on video by a horrified witness. In both instances, other drivers successfully navigated around the animals, reinforcing the belief that the fatal collisions were not accidental.
“They’ve got enough challenges… finding a place to nest, raising young,” one Pennsylvania resident remarked, emphasizing the additional threats these federally protected animals now face from human cruelty.
Whether a copycat trend or isolated but horrific events, these incidents underscore a chilling disregard for life that demands urgent legal and societal reckoning. In a world increasingly desensitized to violence, what happened on that Wichita street serves as a stark reminder of the line between negligence and malice—and the moral cost of looking the other way.
