Doggone it, even dogs are getting laid off as cities tighten their budgets—well, sort of.
Foster City recently ended its contract with a company that uses boarder collies to chase off geese in city parks. Instead, the Parks and Recreation Department is pursuing alternatives to keep the geese off the grass and sidewalks.
From the Mercury News: Unable to pay for bird-chasing dogs, city officials are experimenting with a new method for preventing geese from befouling the lawns and sidewalks of city parks.
Because of budget constraints, Foster City ended its contract with Losee’s Goose Control in July, meaning the company’s border collies no longer patrol lagoon-fronting parks looking for Canada geese to nonviolently harass. Eliminating the service saved the city nearly $8,000 this fiscal year.
Read the full article here.