Syracuse.com - East Syracuse woman's chance meeting with injured Canada goose saves its life

[HuntingNY-News]

Cappotto said it was almost like the injured Canada goose knew who would rescue her.

Lucy Submitted photo Syracuse, N.Y. -- Victoria Cappotto was the right person at the right time for an injured Canada goose.

The East Syracuse woman was walking along the old Erie Canal during the first week of January. Unexpectedly, a wild goose waddled up to her on the walking path near the Widewaters section of the canal near Fayetteville.

"You could see she was injured, her wing was bad on one side. She looked like she'd been shot," she said.

Cappotto bought goose pellets and went to the canal to feed the bird every day for about three weeks. She named it Lucy.

"Within the first few days, she was eating from my hand," she said.

She called the local state Department of Environmental Conservation and was referred to Cindy Page, who runs the Page Wildlife Center in Manlius.

After Lucy's health began deteriorating, Cappotto decided to captured her last Friday. She brought her to Page's wildlife center.

"If I didn't catch her that day, she probably would have died," Cappotto said. Lucy was given antibiotics and has been recovering at the center.

Page, who started the Page Wildlife Center 30 years ago, said people bring in injured animals to her on a regular basis.

"We know of five stranded geese that people are trying to capture right now," Page said.

Lucy will come back to full health, she said. However, because she has been unable to fly for so long, her chances of being able to fly again are slim. She said she sees no evidence of a gunshot wound, although a diagnosis for Lucy's bad wing is yet to be determined.

Cappotto said it was almost like Lucy knew who would rescue her.

"When she came waddling up the trail towards me, I knew something was wrong," Cappotto said. "She chose me to help her, and I had to."

Cappotto fed Lucy every day for about three weeks. Submitted photo

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog