Walla Walla’s newest employee has four legs and a mission to move geese

WALLA WALLA – Pioneer Park is going to the dogs — specifically, a 2-year-old border collie named Ruthie tasked with solving the city’s growing goose problem.

City officials announced that Ruthie, a trained goose-mitigation dog, will begin her patrol today (Monday) to humanely disperse the overpopulated waterfowl. The move comes as the city of Walla Walla seeks to address public health and safety concerns caused by the birds at its most-frequented park.

“Ruthie is trained to act as a natural predator,” Walla Walla Parks and Recreation Director Andy Coleman explains. “She won’t hurt the geese; she’ll just encourage them to move along and not stay in the park long term.”

The geese have become a significant nuisance, with officials citing aggressive behavior toward toddlers and trampling and overgrazing of grass. Also, the geese produce excessive amounts of droppings. Beyond the mess, the waste introduces nitrogen and harmful bacteria into the environment, which can degrade water quality in the park’s ponds and trigger excessive algal growth.

After evaluating various options, Parks and Recreation concluded that a mitigation dog was the most humane and cost-effective strategy. Ruthie will live with a volunteer handler and visit the park regularly whenever geese are present. While the city will cover her food and veterinary expenses, Ruthie will be easily identifiable by a red work vest.

Officials ask that park visitors give the border collie space while she is on duty to ensure she can work effectively.

Photos via city of Walla Walla

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Elkhorn Media Group