Beloved celebrity goose with fan following rescued from Sheffield river after being mauled by dog
A friendly white goose loved by countless visitors to a Sheffield river been mauled by a dog.
The loud-and-proud Embden goose of Havelock Dam, in Rivelin Glen, has been a family favourite for years, and is the only one if its kind on the river.
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UK laws forbid releasing the distinctive white-and-orange water bird into the wild, and it is suspected the Malin Bridge gander was once kept as a pet but then dumped illegally.
Seemingly unable to fly, the celeb gosling made a home out at the glen and has his own fan following.
One of his many admirers is S6 resident Jo Meckin, who together with her six-year-old son, Felix, regularly visits the river to feed him oats right out of their hands.
“My son named him Fragile,” said Jo. “I don’t know why, he named him when he was two. It must just have been a word he had only just learned.
“I’m sure he’s got many other names from other families.
“We both love him - lots of people do, actually. He recognises people. Whenever we come to the river, he makes a beeline across the water honking loudly. He likes to wet his beak then eats porridge oats out of your hand.
“We even think he has a girlfriend that we’ve named Debra.”
However, it came as a shock to Jo and Felix when they visited on Wednesday (February 25) to find ‘Fragile’ badly injured and bleeding from his beak.
“A fisherman nearby told me a dog had attacked him about an hour earlier,” Jo said. “The injury looked severe, and after speaking to several wildlife rescues, I was advised that he urgently needed veterinary assessment.”
It led to Jo waiting at the pond until the RSPCA arrived to catch and bring to safety.
Jo said: “Hallam Vets agreed to examine him. I was initially told his injuries might be so serious that he would never be able to feed properly and may need to be put to sleep, which was devastating to hear.
“Thankfully, after a thorough examination, it was confirmed that the bite had not penetrated his hard palate. With antibiotics and proper care, he is expected to recover.”
After taking advice, ‘Fragile’ was taken to a specialist at Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary to recover.
Because the law now prevents the injured goose ever being released back at Malin Bridge, Jo is now hoping to find a home or farm with a private pond close to S6 where Fragile can live in peace and still see some of his former fans.
Meanwhile, a JustGiving page was set up to pay Fragile’s vet bills, which raised over £600 towards its target of £750 in under a day.
One comment from his adoring public reads: “He is ‘Geoff’ to me, he was much loved by so many and will be missed on the pond.”
Another reads: “He is ‘Snowy’ to us and so special. He's brightened so many of my days.”
“We love that goose,” reads another. “Get well soon.”