You give me goosebumps
Lonely gander gets a new mate – after MoS plays Cupid
A LONELY goose who took to gazing at his reflection in shiny cars for company after the death of two lifelong companions has found a new mate – after featuring in The Mail on Sunday.
The gander and his female partners had been a popular attraction for 15 years at a garden centre in West Sussex.
But when the females passed away, the gander, who had never been named, began to spend hours forlornly staring at himself in shiny vehicles left in the car park at Ferring Nurseries in Worthing.
After The Mail on Sunday featured his sad story last month, staff at the nurseries were inundated with offers to adopt the lonely gander.
Owner Courtenay Luscombe finally took up the offer from Josephine Bond, who has a small farm in Hampshire where she keeps ponies, dogs, ducks, pig – and a goose called Jane, whose gander partner recently died. Mrs Bond said: ‘She was pining so badly, calling out all day for her partner.’
Mrs Bond drove from her New Forest farm to collect the gander, whom she has named Peter. Both Mr Luscombe and Mrs Bond knew there was a chance the geese would not get on, and Peter might then have to return to his lonely life in the car park. But they needn’t have worried. Mrs Bond says the birds have been ‘inseparable’ from the moment she got Peter home. She added: ‘Peter and Jane are both about 15 years old, and geese can live to 30.
‘Jane hasn’t laid any eggs recently but, as she’s now in love, we might have some chicks.’
Mr Luscombe added: ‘As much as we miss our goosie, we are so pleased that he has found a lovely new home and a partner he can share his days with.’