One of the most gratifying parts of working as an animal rescuer is the moment when you get to release them back into the environment. But for Albert and his flock of grown-up goslings, things went differently than expected.
Five months before release day, Albert rescued six goslings who tumbled into the ice. When their biological father chose freedom rather than staying in captivity with his young, Albert became their foster parent.
Over the months, he fed the baby birds, kept them warm and provided a safe place for them to grow strong. After sending two geese to a friend’s home, it was time to release the four he was still rehabilitating.
But first, Albert had to find the right spot to release them. Because the geese had never been in natural water, they needed a location that would allow them to ease into the water.
Albert found a perfect location that was only a minute’s walk from his home. With a mixture of pain and joy mingling together in his heart, he gathered his foster geese for release.
Albert had no idea what the geese would do on release. In the past, some birds have stayed with him; some have immediately flown off. Others have gone out and returned.
As Albert opened the cage, a big smile spread across his face as the geese took off. And after a few minutes, three of the siblings gathered together again, settling into what looked like a perfect new home.
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