Authorities in Norfolk have issued a stark public health warning following the discovery of dozens of slaughtered geese dumped by rural roadsides in two separate incidents.
Second Illegal Dumping in Ten Days
For the second time in less than two weeks, residents have found piles of butchered birds abandoned in the county. The latest incident occurred on Monday, 15 December 2025, when thirty-one greylag geese were discovered on Market Lane in Terrington St Clement.
Each bird had been crudely processed, with its breast meat removed and a piece of string tied around its neck. This grim find came just ten days after thirty-nine pink-footed geese and one pigeon were found in an identical state on St Paul's Road in Wisbech, roughly seven miles away, on 7 December.
Council Issues Stern Warning Over Unsafe Meat
King's Lynn & West Norfolk Council is leading the investigation and has urged the public to be vigilant. Councillor Sandra Squire stated that the geese appeared to have been shot, killed specifically for their meat, but without any of the required legal or hygiene safeguards.
"These birds have clearly been killed for their meat but there has been no oversight of their slaughter and no assurance that they have not experienced undue suffering," Ms Squire said. She emphasised the significant health risks, noting the birds could be diseased and were likely processed in completely unsanitary conditions, making the meat potentially dangerous for consumption.
Fly-Tipping Creates Further Hazard
The councillor condemned the illegal dumping, known as fly-tipping, which compounds the offence. "As a final insult, they have been dumped at the side of the road, which is also illegal as fly-tipping, may attract vermin and creates a health hazard," she added.
The council is now appealing to the public for any information that could help identify those responsible for the killings and the illegal disposal of the carcasses. Anyone with details is being asked to contact King's Lynn & West Norfolk Council directly.
