Tonawanda Uses Border Collies to Keep Down Canada Geese
One good goose story deserves another.

Recently, eNewsline ran an article on a nesting Canada Goose at the Baltimore Transmission parking lot that was causing some problems for employees who had the nerve to try to park near her nest.

Not to be outdone, Tom Mayer, Worldwide Facilities Group at Tonawanda, forwarded an article about his plant’s efforts to humanely keep Canada Geese from making the plant grounds their home.

Tonawanda is using Border Collies to discourage the geese from setting up housekeeping there. Read an article below from the plant newsletter that explains more.


Is Tonawanda Going to the Dogs?
Certainly not! But you may see some Border Collies periodically patrolling the front entry lawns of both plant 1 & 5 in the near future.

Canada Geese, who have nested on Strawberry and Motor Island, have developed a fondness to the lawn areas of plants 1 & 5. Measures taken last year by the plant were not effective at discouraging the geese. Inquiries into more effective solutions and discussions with the local office of the New York State DEC’s and their experience with various wildlife management strategies, identified that the use of Border Collies has proven to be one of the more effective measures in providing a long-term solution. Hence, Tonawanda will begin utilizing a local company, Borders on Patrol.

This local company utilizes trained Border Collies at random times throughout the day, to chase away the part time resident geese. Border Collies are recommended by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, PETA and The Humane Society to solve Canada Geese problems humanely and effectively, and are used at many Parks, Ball Fields, Nursing Homes & Golf Courses locally.

The Canada Goose is a protected species with fines that can cost thousands of dollars if you kill or injure one. The Borders on Patrol Collies are highly-trained and will NEVER harm or injure the geese. The dogs will be on site several times a day through the Geese natural molting season. During this time, the Border Collies will herd the geese away and establish a natural fear in them that will discourage their return.