Aggressive guard goose looking for new home

Forget a guard dog — here's your chance to get a guard gander. A woman in Oyster Bed Bridge, P.E.I., is looking to re-home hers, saying he's become so protective of her chickens, she isn't able to get at the eggs.

He starts hissing and charges like a bull and then he spreads out his wings and smashes me- Emma-Ann Cowans

Rebecca Cowans said she got the bird as a gosling, to be a companion to their pet Embden goose, Jessie.

She said she was hoping the bird was a girl, but "Wilma turned into Willy" and has a strong personality.

"A male gander wants to protect his female and his animals. They're a guardian bird, and he takes his job a little too seriously."

Cowans said Willy guards the chicken coop and his and Jessie's enclosure from predators, which is great, but he also guards against herself and her family.

"He charges at me. He starts hissing and charges like a bull and then he spreads out his wings and smashes me," said Cowans' 12-year-old daughter Emma-Ann.

Emma-Ann said she has to call over their goose Jessie to protect her from the gander.

"She comes over and she grabs his neck feathers and she pulls him away so I can get inside."

In the mornings, Cowans puts Willy in his pen, so she can get the chores done, but doesn't like to force him into a cage.

Cowans has posted an ad on Kijiji offering Willy to a good home for free.

"He will make a wonderful guardian, but I needed him to be a pet," she said.

Cowans said he would probably do well on a large farm, without close neighbours.