Impalement of goose with pole was 'horrendous'

Image source, Kylie Foster-Moreira

Image caption, Kylie Foster-Moreira said the goose was flapping with a pole attached to its back

A woman who reported an attack on a wild goose which left it seriously injured after being impaled with a pole in Craigavon, County Armagh, has described it as "horrendous".

Police received a report of youths attacking the bird shortly before 16:00 BST on Friday, near the Lakelands area.

Kylie Foster-Moreira said she witnessed the incident from the balcony of her home, in the company of her young daughter.

She said it was "horrible to see" and "pure evil".

Image caption, The incident took place in the Lakelands area of Craigavon on Friday afternoon

Ms Foster-Moreira said she telephoned the USPCA about the "awful" incident, which left her in "shock".

鈥淚 heard a commotion and that prompted me to look up," she told 成人快手 News NI.

鈥淭here were two lads by the lake and the geese were at their feet.

鈥淚 saw one of the lads with a blue rope and he had it in a loop.

鈥淗e looked like he would swing the rope.

鈥淭he second lad then picked up a pole he was holding - he held it like a spear.

鈥淭hey went down towards one of the geese with the pole. One of the geese was then impaled with the pole - I didn鈥檛 know that at the time as I was watching from the back.

鈥淚 shouted 'what are you doing?' And they then ran off towards the leisure centre, the South Lakes.

'Flapping and crying'

鈥淚 then ran to the lake and the goose was a metre into the water and was flapping with a pole attached to its back."

Ms Foster-Moreira said that as she called the USPCA the "goose was still flapping and crying".

鈥淭he goose then disappeared," she added.

鈥淚t is awful. I was in shock - I am a huge animal lover.

鈥淚t was horrible to see."

Image caption, Nora Smith of the USPCA described the attack as "senseless, needless and disgusting"

USPCA chief executive Nora Smith said two youths were involved in the incident.

She described it as a 鈥渟enseless, needless, disgusting attack鈥 on a protected species.

Those involved left the bird "in a huge amount of distress and pain, unfortunately,鈥 Ms Smith told 成人快手 News NI.

鈥淚 am absolutely disgusted," she added.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 really important now is that the individuals who were responsible for this attack are brought to justice.

鈥淭his is a crime, this can come with a hefty custodial sentence and a substantial fine as well, so it is really important that these individuals are held to account.鈥

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have appealed for information and CCTV footage.