China police use geese to fight crime

Police at a remote station in China have swapped dogs for geese to guard their premises at night.

Officers at the station in the province of Xinjiang, northwest China, prefer the feathered gatekeepers because they have better hearing and make more noise when intruders are near.

"Dogs are good, but when thieves came, they would poison the dog first," said one police officer.

"Geese are quite alert and they have marvellous hearing. As long as there is noise, they will cackle loudly. And big geese are quite brave; when they see strangers, they will go forward to attack.

"What's more, geese have bad eyesight at night so even if they were exposed to poison, they are unlikely to see and eat it."

Last month, the geese alerted sleeping policemen after a farmer, who had his motorbike confiscated, broke into the station to try and steal it back.

 

-Orange