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Bird Used as Target Practice Needs Surgery

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This poor bird was shot multiple times -- please help support her medical expenses!


Last week my friend and I found an injured goose at Lake Merritt. She was keeping weight off of one leg, and when she tried to move she had to hop, regularly crashing onto her chest. She was often off on her own avoiding the other geese as she was frequently pecked at and attacked any time she tried to get food or water.


We didn’t know the severity of her injury at the time, so we bought bird safe food to ensure she was eating and monitor her condition. We quickly realized she was rapidly declining and starting to smell, and decided to take action. We contacted a local vet qualified to assess her health and contacted local organizations that said they would be able to take her in if needed to rehabilitate. It was then that we made a vet appointment. To keep her safe, we took her home the night before the appointment and kept her in my bath tub.


The next day we arrived at the vet with her in tow and were informed her estimated exam cost would be $500. After they began the exam they realized it was much more complicated than that. She would require an x-ray, blood work, and a toxicity test. All this would bring the cost up to $1,200. We agreed to cover the costs, leaving her at the vet and went home.


That afternoon we received a call from the vet, letting us know that they had some good news. The bad news was that someone had used the poor girl as target practice, shooting her multiple times. They found several BBs lodged inside her body -- her neck , wing , abdomen , and most problematic, her leg joint .


While some terrible person did this to her, the good news was that they said they could help. They immediately began treating her for lead poisoning, got her put on antibiotics, fluids, and pain killers. While they said the BBs lodged in soft tissue would be safe to leave, the one from the joint must be removed and would require surgery. (More photos including x-rays and vet e-mail here .)


The surgery is now scheduled on Monday (July 13th). Once it is completed and she is safe to travel she will be taken to an organization that can rehabilitate her. If the surgery runs smoothly it will cost an additional $1,200-$1,500, bringing the total estimated cost of her assessment and care to between $2,400-$2,700


We are committed to helping her, who we’ve lovingly named Guska (Croatian for ‘Goose’ -- Gus for short), but we need your help to cover the medical expenses so she can move forward and live a healthy happy silly goose life


Thank you for your support in caring for Guska!


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    Organizer

    Anamarija Cvitkovic
    Organizer
    Oakland, CA

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