A Maple Ridge veterinarian has successfully extricated an arrow lodged in a Canada goose鈥檚 back end. 

Dr. Adrian Walton welcomed the goose, which Squamish wildlife photographer Tim Cyr named Wilson, on Tuesday, Jan. 14. 

The goose, which had been rescued in Squamish, had been shot with a training arrow, Walton explained. 

Cyr brought Wilson to Dewdney Animal Hospital because they were the only veterinarian clinic that had a place for Wilson to recover for a couple of days after the arrow was removed. 

鈥淚t is, actually, my very first goose rescue,鈥� Cyr laughed. He has saved other injured wildlife that he has come upon, but never an animal with a foreign object protruding from its body. 

Cyr first spotted the injured goose in Squamish about seven months ago, but was unable to capture the bird. 

鈥淗e was limping, it was bugging him a little bit. But, you know what? He could still fly, he could do everything else a goose could do,鈥� Cyr said. 

He kept track of the bird, trying to capture him time and time again, but to no avail. 

He even had community members alerting him every time they saw the bird, and District of Squamish Parks groundskeepers who monitored Wilson and helped with capture attempts. Local golf courses gave him access to the grounds and to golf carts, and Squamish animal control and bylaw officers helped keep people and off-leash dogs away from Wilson. 

鈥淚t was a team effort, for sure,鈥� he said of efforts leading up to the goose's eventual rescue at Furry Creek Golf and Country Club, south of Squamish. 

Cyr described how, finally, a small group of experienced naturalists came together on Jan. 14, to work with him and devise a plan to capture the goose. The team included Myles Lamont of Surrey, with Terra Fauna Wildlife Consulting Inc., who volunteered his time, his expertise, and his specialized net gun. 

鈥淭he team also consulted with a master archer from Just Shooting Arrows in Surrey, who was able to identify the type of arrow and donated samples for the team to safely practise cutting techniques on the arrow shaft,鈥� explained Cyr. 

They went to the golf course, where Cyr said, Wilson had recently been spotted, and during the course of several hours, they patiently integrated with the flock until the geese relaxed their guard. 

An opportunity finally presented itself for Lamont to capture Wilson with a 鈥渟ingle well-placed shot from the net gun,鈥� said Cyr, who was amazed because Lamont only spent about an hour that one day with success. 

The team measured the arrow, and found 28.5 inches out of the total 31-inch arrow length was protruding from Wilson鈥檚 left flank. 

In the field, they cut off the net and then the arrow 鈥� as close to Wilson鈥檚 body as possible. 

鈥淲ilson incurred no additional injuries during the capture event and was immediately contained in a calm manner,鈥� added Cyr. 

The goose was transported that same day to Dewdney Animal Hospital, where Dr. Walton and his team of veterinary technologists took over 鈥� volunteering their services.

Walton said the goose came in stable, but slightly underweight, with a large abscess around the arrow. 

His team immediately treated Wilson with antibiotics and pain killers. 

By Thursday, Jan. 16, Wilson was given an anaesthetic and the arrow was removed. 

Wilson has since recovered from the arrow extraction procedure and was personally taken by Walton to Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society, (MARS), on Vancouver Island, which covered the costs of the goose's blood work and X-ray.

This is where Wilson will spend about a month fully recovering from its injuries before being released. 

Cyr named the goose after the volleyball in the Tom Hank's movie "Castaway," where Hank's character is trapped on a deserted island and he draws a face on the ball for companionship.

"I just thought, he's a survivor, so Wilson it is," he said. 

Cyr will be releasing Wilson himself when the bird has fully recovered.

He plans to bring the goose back to Furry Creek Golf and Country Club where they caught him 鈥� and where he is almost certain to find his flock again.

MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre concentrates its efforts on: the rescue, recovery, rehabilitation, and release of ill, injured, orphaned, or oiled wildlife; contributing to the knowledge and understanding of wildlife; educating the general public about wildlife issues; and to conservation and protection efforts. 

To learn more about the charity or to donate go to: .