Rockford wants volunteers for goose patrol

ROCKFORD (AP) — The northern Illinois city of Rockford is looking to enlist residents and their dogs for volunteer patrols to keep Canada geese from taking over parks and paths.

The park district announced Wednesday it's looking for 40 to 100 volunteers and their dogs.

They will team up with the district's two border collies, Jett and Flash, which have been trained to herd geese without harming them. The two dogs even have specially made life vests so they can chase the geese into water.

The Rockford Register Star reports ( http://bit.ly/xwdZys ) that the volunteer dogs will get similar training.

Ron Butler, deputy director of operations for the district, says the area needs new dogs that are not recognized by the parks' resident birds.