-Concerns about goose droppings also raised-
OSOYOOS TIMES-May 28, 2008-
By Chad IngramrnOsoyoos Times
Lulu the goose no longer resides at Peanut Pond.
The bird's owner has taken him to live on an Oliver farm after complaints about Lulu's honking resulted in a ticket for violating the town's noise bylaw.
Lulu, whose full name is Louis, first garnered media attention in March when his owner, David Haynes, made a delegation to Osoyoos town council explaining the white goose who could often be found swimming alongside Canadian geese in the waters of Peanut Pond was a family pet.
Haynes, whose 89th Street home backs onto the pond, was aware that at least one area resident had made complaints to the Town about Lulu's honking.
Haynes said Lulu honked rarely. He presented council with a petition signed by roughly 60 of his neighbours who said they enjoyed having the goose around.
The 12-year-old goose and his owner moved to Osoyoos in late 2006 from Spruce Grove, Alta.
Councillors told Haynes at the March 17 council meeting they didn't have the power to remove Lulu, but that if complaints persisted, he would be fined for violating the town's noise bylaw.
And that's what happened about month ago, Haynes said.
Steve (Marshall, Osoyoos's bylaw officer) showed up with a ticket, he said.
Violating the town's noise bylaws typically carries a $100 fine.
We've had a number of complaints on that file since November of 2007, Marshall said on May 23.
One ticket in that many months is pretty good.
Haynes said he relocated Lulu to the Oliver farm about three weeks ago, fearing that something might happen to the bird if he remained in the neighbourhood.
Lulu is not adjusting well to his new home, however, Haynes said.
He's not happy, he said.
On the farm, Haynes said Lulu lives alongside about 150 chickens as well as a number of pheasants and other geese.
Lulu's not used to fighting for his food, he said.
Haynes and his wife Donna make regular trips to visit Lulu, taking him food and water.
We miss him, Donna said. He was our pet.
Some of the Haynes' neighbours are also upset.
Because of one complaint and without any evidence, someone has lost their life-long pet, said Trudi Schofield, who lives next door to the Haynes'.
Other area residents are relieved that Lulu has flown the coop.
During the day it was quite all right, said Caroline Staple, who lives in a condominium complex across the pond from the Haynes'.
But it was keeping a whole lot of us on this side of the pond up at night.
Staple said Lulu's cries would begin every day around 5 a.m. and that one of her neighbours had started wearing industrial earplugs while she slept.
Staple said she had lodged a number of complaints with the Town beginning in October.
The noise was not the big issue for me, said Craig Phillips, who also resides in the Peanut Pond condominium complex.
It was a health and environmental issue.
Phillips said Lulu's presence at the pond drew a large number of wild Canadian geese, which meant an increased amount of fecal matter on the banks and in the water of the pond.
The fecal matter left behind by these creatures was appalling, he said.
Phillips said he had gone to the Town four times to voice his concerns.
Haynes said he hopes in a year or two to purchase some acreage with a pond and bring Lulu home.
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