Meet Doug Carleton, a man who has gone to the same park, every day for the past three years
During his visits, he likes to enjoy the views, hang out, and more importantly, make friends with all the local geese who live in the park.
“I am generally good with animals, I can befriend the most snaggletoothed cat,” Carleton told The Dodo.
“Geese were new to me, but I just picked up how to not alarm them or give them a reason to fear me, and eventually all of them just became cool with having me amongst them and interacting with them.”
Currently, there are eight geese living at the park, all of which Carleton has named.
“I can walk up to and just list them off as anyone would eight people they know well,” Carleton said.
With time, the geese have learned to trust Carleton, and now accept him as a friend.
One day, he noticed a new gosling among the group who he named Sam, so Carleton began to get to know him.
It didn’t take long before Sam and Carleton bonded, and now, whenever Sam sees Carleton, he runs up to him all excited.
“He is the most passive of all the geese so far, geese tend to hiss at people when they get cornered/think someone is moving too close and ignoring the honking,” Carleton said. “I have never heard Sam hiss at anyone yet.”
As you can see, Sam absolutely loves seeing Carleton whenever he enters the park. Often he comes running, with the other geese following.
Carleton has a really unique friendship with the geese that he has cultivated over time, it’s really beautiful to see!
