A wave of outrage swept through the Boatlake Village after a goose was found with an arrow lodged in its crop, an act that has left at least one animal lover furious and demanding accountability.

Taryn May Barnard, a resident known for her passion for wildlife, said the discovery points to a growing problem: Children allegedly roam the nearby Sandpan Conservancy to illegally fish and hunt, despite clear by-laws protecting the area’s wildlife.

The goose was allegedly shot on November 8.

Barnard said she immediately contacted the Benoni SPCA after spotting the animal with the arrow across its body, but they couldn’t catch it.

“When I got home the next afternoon, I managed to catch the goose. The arrow had gone right through its body. I took it to the Craig View Vet, where it was X-rayed. The arrow was right by its crop, which means it would have eventually starved to death. It had very slim chances of survival and had to be euthanised,” she said.

The Craig View Vet confirmed a goose with an arrow lodged “across its body” was brought to the clinic and was subsequently euthanised after a thorough examination.

Barnard believes the attack is a wake-up call for authorities to clamp down before more animals are harmed, adding that the geese population has declined to half since last year.

“Many children fish in the area. The gut gets trapped around the geese’s legs. Since last year, their population has been less than half.

“They are killing the animals for sport. We tell the people at the Boatlake Village that children are not allowed into the conservancy, but they argue that the children are allowed to go there and have fun.”

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Sharing her love for animals, she explained that the incident had left her distressed, adding that she could not just stand by while the injured goose suffered.

“It’s senseless for anyone to do that. It’s traumatic. I get anxiety. On the way to the vet, I could hear the goose gasping. It’s traumatic to sit and watch an animal in that state,” said Barnard.

Barnard pleaded with residents to adhere to the Sandpan Conservancy’s rules, which are displayed on a board next to the village’s entrance and include, among others, that swimming, fishing and shooting and hunting are prohibited.

“Children shouldn’t be allowed in the dam. They should be under parental supervision if they want to take a walk. No swimming should be allowed.

“My feeling is what kind of people are the parents raising? If it’s so easy to kill an animal, how are they going to grow up? If you can do that to an animal, when do you start doing this to human beings when you grow up?” she asked.

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