Cary teen starts petition to save geese from extermination in Wisconsin

CARY, North Carolina (WTVD) -- A local teen started a petition to save geese in Wisconsin from extermination. It gained over 20,000 signatures of support, and it's not the only way she's trying to help animals.

The comments pour in from all over the world on the petition 18 year-old Elizabeth Hughes started to save Canadian Geese from being exterminated in the city of Mondovi, Wisconsin.

"They have a strong sense of family and community; they mate for life, and their shown to be very intelligent," Hughes said.

"I am overjoyed," her mother, Filiz Hughes said. "I have huge love for animals too and we both volunteer at SPCA Wake County."

Elizabeth and her mother are avid animal lovers, spending hundreds of dollars at their own expense to feed, trap and spay or neuter local cats - running animal cams, and even protecting our own local geese during the hot summer months.

Her petition - full of signatures from folks who want to stop the save the birds from being euthanized with carbon dioxide. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said their overpopulation is causing a problem. Elizabeth wants them to try alternative methods:

"There's a lot of different things like habitat modification, and site aversion, so many different methods that they should try and explore," the teen said.

ABC11 reached out to the USDA to find out if the petition has created an impact - R. Andre Bell, a public affairs specialist with the organization, replied "no," and said in-part in a statement:

"The decision is a local decision made by the residents directly impacted by the over abundant goose population. Non-lethal options have been considered by the community and after exhausting those, a decision was made to remove the local resident geese through a round-up. Geese removed are utilized by rehabilitators and other facilities for animal food."

While the signatures continue to mount, Elizabeth and her mother will continue to help animals - marveling at all those who commented in support.

"I start reading them one by one, and it teared my eye how much you can touch a person with your fingertips," Filiz said of the petition's world-wide reach.