It’s traumatic when a pet goes missing, especially if you know it’s in danger.
Just a few weeks ago, Carla Shymko thought her pet goose Steve was gone forever.
When she put a note about Steve up on Facebook, she said she felt silly and worried about what people would think about her attachment to the unlikely pet. Luckily people were understanding.
Unfortunately, that’s also how she got some bad news about Steve. A neighbor said they had seen a fox dragging him away.
She and her family were beside themselves thinking about Steven’s gruesome end. The only small solace was finding a hole dug under the enclosure by the fox and realizing that Shymko’s daughter hadn’t accidentally left the gate open, making easy pickings of the family pet.
You might not think it’s easy to get attached to a goose, but Steve (and his late mate Lulu) were just like any other pet, following around their family and demanding attention. The even had a feathery little family together.
Steve would even put his head in Carla’s lap while she was reading.
“He’s literally just like a dog. He used to fight my rottweiler for attention,” she told the CBC.
She didn’t even want the birds at first, but her children brought them home from a bird sanctuary and everyone in the family soon came to love them.
That’s why it was so hard to lose Steve – especially knowing that he was goose-napped and likely eaten.
Except he wasn’t.
Anyone who has met a wild goose knows that they can be pretty hostile animals. And it turned out Steve put up quite the fight!
“I absolutely believe that a goose could fight off a fox. Geese can be pretty mean, and foxes are not very strong. They live by chasing down rodents, not attacking bigger animals like a wolf might,” said one commenter.
He bested the fox and escaped, returning home the following day.
Of course, Steve was worse for the wear.
As he pecked on the back door, Shymko was stunned to see the goose. He was filthy, bloody, injured, and exhausted, but he was going to be ok with a little time and care.
“He was so excited to see me. He started coming over, and he fell over,” Shymko told the CBC.
The poor goose had been through quite the ordeal. And his family still has no clue how he outsmarted the fox, especially since he cannot fly.
But it doesn’t matter now. All that’s important is that he’s back at home.
“It’s like losing a puppy and getting a puppy back — there’s no difference really. It was pretty amazing.”
According to an update from Shymko on the Lost and Found Pets of Moose Jaw Facebook page, Steve is doing much better.
“Here’s been resting and getting spoiled. Lots of treats. We are hoping he will be back to his old self soon. Thanks so much for caring ❤ so many people have reached out and been so kind.”
If you’d like to keep track of Steve’s adventures, you can check him out on Instagram at @stevethegoose2020.
Be sure to scroll down below for the news story on his saga.
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