St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club geese cull controversy

On July 16, the St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club in Weybridge, Surrey, hired marksmen to shoot eight Canada geese, including goslings. The club defended the action as a necessity for hygiene, stating that bird droppings on courts, walkways, and lake areas created health and safety concerns.

The decision sparked outrage among local residents and club members, who noted that the birds had lived on the estate for years and had previously been featured in the club’s social media. Critics have argued that the club should have considered non-lethal options, such as relocation, rather than a cull.

Following reports of gunshots heard early on July 16, members have accused management of attempting to ‘deliberately conceal’ the culling. Some members alleged they were initially told the birds had ‘flown off’ or been rehomed. Long-term member Seema Parikh raised concerns regarding the integrity of the club’s leadership, noting that junior staff appeared to have been instructed to repeat the inaccurate rehoming story.

In response, the club’s chief executive, Miles Hill, stated the decision was not taken lightly and claimed that months of non-lethal control attempts had failed before the lethal action was taken.