Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LIBERTY — Inside the Westcott family's Ogden Valley home, Gladys the goose can often be seen taking a little beak-bath from a water tray. She's more comfortable indoors around humans than she is around other geese.
"She's been in the house since the day she hatched," Diane Westcott said.
Kevin and Diane Westcott have a farm full of animals: several geese, ducks, chickens, turkeys, and even horses.
Diane got the idea for domesticating a goose after hearing about a woman who had designed a diaper made for geese.
"You become their flock," Diane said. "They interact with you, instead of other birds."
And that's just what Gladys does. She snuggles on laps, chews on shoelaces, and even sleeps in a bed with the Westcotts — with a soft down blanket.
"She's been a joy since the day she hatched," said Diane, whose husband Kevin wasn't so fond of the idea at first.
"Like all relationships, the wife is right," Kevin said.
Kevin said he bonded with Gladys shortly after the family's Labrador died. Now he sometimes makes his own goose chatter-like sound at Gladys: "Wawawa."
Sometimes she chatters back.
In many ways, Gladys has become one of the Westcotts' children. She's been to West Yellowstone with them, and often turns heads around the Ogden area.
She's been a joy since the day she hatched.
–Diane Westcott
The couple keeps a preserved carving of Gladys' first egg in a display case. Diane has also started writing a series of books about Gladys' adventures.
"It's like you have two-year-olds that never grow up," Diane said. "You still have to change their diapers all the time."
