Austin goose saved by rescuers after arrow injury

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin goose is flying high after animal control officers and local wildlife rescuers helped remove an arrow from its body.

The goose was discovered at Mueller Lake with an arrow puncturing just beneath his skin, according to Jules Maron, executive director of Austin Wildlife Rescue. A team comprising members of the Austin Animal Center, AWR and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department rescued the goose, according to an Austin Animal Center spokesperson.

It was — no pun intended — a wild goose chase as pool maintenance crews got into kayaks and tried to pursue the goose from the water. Eventually, animal control officers caught him via a net gun in the evening and transferred him to AWR for treatment.

The Egyptian goose isn't native to Texas, and typically AWR isn't able to treat non-native wildlife. Texas Parks and Wildlife granted AWR permission to rehabilitate the bird given the circumstances, Maron said.

After conducting x-rays and examining the goose, they found he didn't have any infections or damage, and they were able to cut and remove the arrow from his body, she added. He returned to the lake the following morning and was released.

"I was with the animal protection officers the evening that he was captured, so I was able to take him to our facility immediately, and our veterinarian arrived quickly to examine him," Maron said. "This was one extremely lucky bird!"