Alabama homeowners sue HOA to stop Canada geese cull, warn birds could be gassed within 48 hours

A picturesque community in Madison, Alabama, could soon become a scene of horror thanks to a ruling by the neighborhood homeowners association. Residents have taken their fight with the HOA to court over its plan to kill Canada geese.

On Monday, their attorney said the birds may be culled by gassing in as little as 48 hours, Fox54 reported, turning the dispute into a broader argument about wildlife control and how much authority HOAs should have.

What happened?

A hearing was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Madison County Circuit Court after Joseph N. Gaines and Dianne Lynn Reed filed suit Monday against Heritage Plantation. However, after the judge recused himself from the case, citing the Canons of Judicial Ethics, a new court date — and the fate of the geese — remains uncertain.

Birmingham attorney Angie Ingram, who represents the plaintiffs, said the HOA entered into a $2,500 Department of Agriculture agreement for "humane goose capture activities" before July 1, but the lawsuit contends the board overstated what federal officials actually recommended.

The plaintiffs say their HOA misrepresented a September letter from the USDA, presenting it as support for euthanizing the geese even though, according to the suit, it only outlined lethal and nonlethal management options.

The suit also says a resident survey did not make clear that "removal" meant the birds would be killed rather than relocated, as Fox54 reported. 

Ingram also alleged that the board moved toward lethal action without consistently using nonlethal methods first, including steps recommended by an environmental vendor.

Why does it matter?

Ingram also suggested the situation may be a violation of federal law because a corn feeder had allegedly been placed near the community's lakes, per Fox54.

"If you're not an authorized agent of the USDA or whoever is going to handle the killing ... it's still illegal to bait," Ingram told the news outlet.

The subdivision includes seven to eight lakes and ponds, making the geese a highly visible part of the neighborhood's ecosystem.

"It's absolutely beautiful," Ingram continued. "And I'm just amazed seeing all these geese everywhere — why would you want to kill them?" 

What are people saying?

Ingram said the HOA hasn't consistently implemented non-lethal geese management techniques.

"They may have tried some of these things, and they're still doing some of them, but there's no consistency at all," she told Fox54. "They're not sticking to those measures."

Social media users shared the sentiment that there must be a more humane way forward. The report also sparked a broader conversation about animal welfare in the United States.

"This is such a sad story," one Reddit user wrote. 

"I'm upset about the geese being killed, but it's much more humane than our current factory farming system," another suggested.

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