A New York town is getting creative in its efforts to battle its geese problem.
The town of Babylon, New York is seeking a certified “waterfowl control person” to joins its Department of Environmental Control in order to help control the growing geese population overtaking the small town. What’s even better is that the part-time position not only allows you to, but requires that you bring your dog to work.
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“Participate in a Waterfowl Control Program to chase Canadian geese from Town Parks,” an official job description reads. “Must have suitable field dog, i.e.: Border Collie, Labrador/Golden Retriever, Brittany, or similar field/hunting dog. Dog must be obedient, have current Town dog license/vaccinations and be spayed or neutered and have good temperament. Dog and Master must be in excellent physical condition to work in this program.”
The job requires a “dedicated, consistent and reliable” person who can expect to be paid $10 per hour, with working hours varying throughout different times of the year. According to the job description, new hires can expect to work a “maximum of 40 hours” per week during the summer months, when the geese population is the highest, and “20 hours per week for the remainder of the year.”
According to Newsday, the town currently has six such workers, but is seeking to increase that number to at least 10 by spring, when the Canada geese population starts to surge. Rich Groh, Babylon’s chief environmental analyst, told the outlet that the workers and their canine friends will be utilized to chase geese from a total of nine parks.
The town has been ramping up its geese control efforts for the past decade, with the geese population at Town Hall park reportedly decreasing from about 300 to just a half dozen, though Groh noted that other areas of the town haven’t been as lucky. Town wide, there are still hundreds of Canadian geese, and the town has resorted to utilizing pop guns to scare them off and coating undeveloped geese eggs with corn oil to stop embryo development.
Their efforts come amid growing concerns that the geese not only prove to be a nuisance, but also a public health hazard, “as their droppings can contribute to high bacteria levels in water,” especially in areas where they typically reside, like popular eating spots such as parks and athletic fields.
Hoping to help Babylon fend of its geese with the help of your trusted canine? Email your resume, information about both you and your dog, as well as a reference contact with phone number for other current or past job positions to dec@townofbabylon.com.
