A pair of Canada geese reunited and shared a meal after the male goose, Arnold, received emergency surgery for an injured foot.
Arnold and his mate, Amelia, have lived on a pond next to the New England Wildlife Centers Cape Cod Branch in Barnstable, Mass., for several years, according to a post on the facility’s Facebook page.
That post explains that the wild birds typically keep to themselves. But earlier this month, staff members noticed Arnold limping and falling over. They discovered two open fractures on his foot, which they believe were caused by a snapping turtle or another predator.
While preparing the goose for surgery, employees heard a faint tapping at the clinic’s front door. There, they found Amelia looking in through the glass, determined to be by his side.
“She had somehow located him and was agitated that she could not get inside,” wildlife center staff wrote. “She remained there throughout the entire procedure, watching us work, never moving from the doorway.”
The compassionate crew allowed Arnold to recover by the door from his successful surgery, next to his persistent partner, who immediately calmed down upon being reunited and began grooming him through the door.
Arnold’s recovery is expected to take several weeks. Staff members are keeping an eye on the door as often as possible, including during bandage changes and other treatments, so that Amelia can visit him.
The injured bird is getting stronger every day, according to a follow-up Facebook update. After his wounds heal, Arnold will stay in an outdoor pen while his caretakers prepare him for release back into the wild.
