Injured goose is rushed to animal hospital — then came a ‘tapping at the clinic door’
An injured wild goose was headed for surgery when the animal hospital staff made a heartwarming discovery.
The New England Wildlife Center’s branch on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, said it found Arnold the goose limping near a pond on Tuesday and decided to take him in for a check-up. That’s when the staff discovered two fractures that could threaten his chance of survival.
But Arnold’s luck quickly turned, thanks to a surprise visitor.
“As we prepared to sedate Arnold and get him ready for surgery, we heard a faint tapping at the clinic door,” the wildlife center wrote Wednesday in a Facebook post. “We turned to see that his mate had waddled up onto the porch and was attempting to break into our clinic!”
It turns out, Arnold’s female partner had tracked him down and stayed outside the clinic throughout the surgery.
And when the procedure was done, the hospital said allowed Arnold to recover near the door. A photo posted to Facebook shows the animal with an oxygen mask over his beak as his partner looked on.
“His mate immediately calmed down and began to groom him through the door,” officials said. “They both seemed much more at ease in each other’s presence.”
Arnold is a Canada goose, a species that mates with one partner for life. Or as the animal hospital calls it: “Through sickness and health.”
Social media users couldn’t get enough of the couple’s years-long commitment. By Friday, the wildlife center’s Facebook post had about 2,900 reactions and several comments wishing Arnold a speedy recovery.
“What a wonderful love story,” one person commented on Facebook. “Thank you for your care and compassion in helping Arnold. Soon, he will be reunited with his beloved.”
“That story is awesome,” another person wrote. “I have always been touched by the Canadian Geese and how they mate for life.”
The hospital, located in the Cape Cod town of Barnstable, said it will take a few weeks before Arnold can get back to his mate. His foot was fractured and he will have to spend most of his time inside as his wounds heal.
“We will do our best to get him back out quickly and will perform bandage changes and treatments in view of the doorway when possible so that his mate can check up on him,” the wildlife center said.
This story was originally published July 16, 2021 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Injured goose is rushed to animal hospital — then came a ‘tapping at the clinic door’."
