California goose with arrow piercing neck dies after surgery

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ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif. (AP) — An Egyptian goose that lived for at least a week with an arrow piercing its neck as it evaded capture by animal control workers in Southern California died after it was wrangled and taken to surgery.

The goose at first appeared to make it successfully through the operation at a bird and wildlife clinic Wednesday but then died a short time later, said Katie Ingram of Orange County Animal Care.

"The vet did everything that they could do," Ingram told Los Angeles television station KNBC (http://bit.ly/1cxqOlX ). "We are unsure if it was due to the extent of the injuries or some other complication. We were all hoping for a happy ending for this little guy."

She said the bird's skin had healed around the arrow and made the process more difficult.

Animal officials had high hopes for the bird's recovery after its capture earlier Wednesday because it seemed in otherwise good health and the arrow had missed all its vital organs.

A worker at the Anaheim Hills Car Wash befriended the goose several days ago and was able to catch it and turn it over, Ingram said.

She said the animal was shot intentionally at least a week ago. Animal control officers started getting calls on April 5 about the bird and found it after a call from Hole 5 at the Anaheim Hills Golf Course on April 8, Ingram said.

The birds are not native to the area, so it was probably living near the course.