Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/07/15/the-prison-that-replaced-its-guard-dogs-with-geese-video.html
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Via Gail Sherman!
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I think this is a step in the right direction. I love dogs, but training dogs for any police work beyond sniffing for contraband or search and rescue is essentially turning them into living weapons which is cruel to dog and suspect alike.
A goose will make a lot of noise and might nip unpleasantly but it’s not going to maul anyone.
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I also think this is generally positive. Geese are territorial and will create enough ruckus to deter people, and it’s more efficient because having trained dogs patrolling 24/7 requires a lot of resources.
Option B here might be to create a moat and put a bunch of Pablo Escobar’s hippos in it. /s
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… which is itself difficult to distinguish from a “Clever Hans” scam
New Information Shows Drug-sniffing Dogs Might Not Be Reliable
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Yeah that’s not great either, but having them sniff for drugs and explosives in airports is at least less directly harmful than training them to sink their teeth into people.
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Use Canada geese. Best* of both worlds.
*For certain values of “best”.
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If I remember right, from my childhood last century, both Swans and Geese could break a mans arm…
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The dogs can be reliable; it’s the humans working them who aren’t.
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I imagine the geese occasionally squawk on occasions when humans aren’t present, e.g. turf disputes, etc., making them less reliable than, say, electronic motion detectors. And yeah, the poop probably makes for unsanitary conditions, assuming guards patrol there. Even worse: I can imagine a determined escapee doing something nefarious like tossing poisoned food pellets over the wall the night before attempting a breakout.
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For the dogs yes, not necessarily for the people.
Sooner take my chances with a dog than a bunch of border cops who had me singled out for guilt so set the dogs on my bags to get probably cause to imprison me without access to a lawyer and who knows what next?
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Or just throw something. It startles the geese and they go nuts, the guards come running, but things calm down. Do it again and again until the guards stop coming.
Sort of like what happens now when a car alarm goes off.
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I’d think its success over a decade and a half would be enough for naysayers.
Or nay-honkers.
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And other body parts.
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I’m thinking either Aardman or A24.
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