Last fall, Farm Sanctuary welcomed Deborah, Tracey, and Lisa — three bonded geese rescued from cruelty — to our New York shelter.

The geese were found chained by their legs to a fence, with significant bruising from their confinement. There were also reports that their wings were “butchered” to prevent the birds from flying away.

According to the Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the homeowner kept the geese for egg production. The three are Buff geese, a docile domestic breed often raised for eggs and killed for meat. Buff geese get their name from the taupe feathers—edged in white — that cover their heads, necks, and backs. The Livestock Conservancy lists the American Buff as a rare breed to watch on their conservation priority list.

On factory farms, geese are typically kept in dark sheds without access to their natural habitats. They neurotically pluck out their feathers, which workers prevent by amputating the sensitive top portion of their beaks without anesthesia.

After confiscating the trio, the SPCA contacted Humane Long Island, the region’s leading animal advocacy organization, to rehabilitate Deborah, Tracey, and Lisa, and find them a suitable home. Humane Long Island reached out to Farm Sanctuary, having collaborated with us to place rescued animals in the past — both at Farm Sanctuary and within homes in our Farm Animal Adoption Network (FAAN). Two months later, our team met Humane Long Island at a halfway point, where they transferred the geese into our care.

Soon after, Deborah, Tracey, and Lisa joined the flock at our Watkins Glen, NY, sanctuary, where they encountered geese rescued from foie gras facilities and elsewhere.

When staff noticed that Deborah had been acting a bit off recently, they ran tests and determined she had an infection, which they treated with antibiotics. They tried to take her aside for additional feedings to help her gain weight, but she disliked separation from Tracey and Lisa, even for short periods. Staff members describe her as “opinionated and active” — signs of a healthy goose.

Geese are social animals. Goslings begin to communicate with their parents even before they hatch. They can easily distinguish between look-alike siblings, and their heart rates speed up if they see a companion in conflict with another goose.

The three newcomers integrated well with the flock, but they remain inseparable from each other. Deborah, Tracey, and Lisa now have access to a pond, open space, and nutritious food. They can swim, groom their feathers, and frolic with their flock-mates. These days, they can usually be found walking together on our grounds.

We’re always looking for new members to join our Farm Animal Adoption Network and accept applications year-round. Or, if you want to symbolically adopt, join our Adopt a Farm Animal Program and sponsor one of our rescued residents – including Reba, Willie, and Thatcher geese! Your support helps provide their ongoing care, allowing us to rescue more animals in need of a home.