Border collies have been deployed to the National Mall as the new "Geese Police of D.C."
NBC Washington reported Thursday that the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool and other monuments have recently been overrun by giant flocks of geese, whose droppings can cause real problems for park goers and park maintenance crews alike.
That's when Geese Police founder David Marcks was brought in to help clear them away with his trusty collies.
Marcks said that each goose can leave behind as much as 3 pounds of feces per day, so clearing them off the pond and fields is important. Not only unsightly, the goose leavings can be a public health hazard and also clog pipes and filters in the water features.
Trained collies are particularly well suited to the geese problem, as they provide a good alternative to geese-repelling chemicals, as well as bird shot.
"It works because they perceive the dog as a threat, not a nuisance," said Marcks. "You put cardboard cutlets, lights — they might work the first time. If lights worked, I'd have a truck full of lights. But I'm glad it's dogs because I love my job. I love the dogs and they work."
Marcks said the collies wear vests to indicate they're working, and are trained to avoid distractions from park goers who might like to pet or feed them.
Marcks and the Geese Police dogs have a one-year contract to start, with a four-year extension option after that.
"A problem that has been a problem for 8, 9, 10 years usually takes us 6 to 8 weeks to get a handle on," he explained.