The city of Denver wants to slaughter Canada geese and feed their meat to the poor

Officials from Denver have approved a “catch and kill” method to dispose of the city’s rampant Canada goose population. The meat from the animals will then be processed and distributed to the city’s poor.

Estimates show that around 5,000 of the birds gather in the city annually.

The method is seen as a last resort option after several attempts and strategies have failed to quell the population.

Parks play a vital role in the physical & environmental health of the city & residents—they will continue to be a habitat for Canada Geese but the growing resident population causes several park mgt. issues that require a multi-strategy plan. Learn more: https://t.co/ABkuvvEhUt— Denver Parks & Recreation (@denverparksrec) July 2, 2019

The city has also employed a remote control glider to scare away geese from the area as well as dousing goose eggs with oil to reduce the population.

The prevalence of the birds have caused several issues for locals including road safety hazards, over-grazing and extensive amounts of bird poop.

According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service the practice of killing geese to reduce the population is a valid one and the meat is believed to be safe for human consumption.

Several locals and animal rights activists have spoken out against the killings, and have created a petition with over 1,000 signatures.