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Goose Shot By Arrow In Kendall Canal Recovering

MIAMI (CBS4) - A goose found in a Southwest Miami-Dade canal  injured by a piercing arrow continues to recover after surgery at a South Florida wildlife center.

Another goose with similar injuries died in the attack.

Animal lover Mary, who found the two injured birds, is so concerned about the kind of person who committed this crime, she asked CBS4 to withhold her last name. She told CBS4's Natalia Zea she found the animals the day after Christmas with the arrows sticking out of their bodies.

"This is terrible. These are beings, these are creatures.This has to stop. We called the police, they made a report. We're just hoping it stops," she said.

Mary and her friends often go to the Kendall canal near Southwest 104th Street and 82nd Avenue to feed the dozens of different types of birds that flock there. She says the geese especially are very smart.

"They're like dogs, they know their names, they're beautiful creatures," she said.

She was devastated when she made the discovery. She rushed the wounded animals to the South Florida Wildlife Center in Fort Lauderdale, a a non-profit animal hospital and trauma center.

A day later the injuries proved to be too severe for one of the birds. It died the next day.

X-rays show the surviving bird, that has not yet been named, had a wing bone that was broken into two pieces. Veterinarians at the wildlife center say they put a pin in the bird's arm in hopes of holding it in place and giving it a chance to heal.

"The pin is in place and it looks good, but the fracture is a long way from healing," said Veterinarian Antonia Gardner. "Luckily it's not a bird that needs to fly because if it was this would have been fatal."

Gardner says it will take the goose's injuries at least a month to heal properly.

Mary believes the shooter lives in the area. The canal is fairly private, and located right behind some homes.

"So obviously somebody got this for a nice Christmas gift or something and woke up bored and decided hey let's go out and kill birds," she said.

Mary worries the other birds that remain will be used for this cruel target practice next.

"Whoever's doing this please stop. This isn't right."

CBS4's Zea confirmed Miami-Dade Police are investigating the attacks and they've also notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

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