Culling Canada Geese: First Gentleman Marlon Reis Asks Denver To 'Exhaust All Non-Lethal Options'

DENVER (CBS4) -- Colorado's First Gentleman, Marlon Reis, issued a public statement Friday expressing that he does not approve of Denver's plans to continue culling Canada geese.

Officials estimate about 5,000 geese have made Denver their permanent home -- and each one creates about a pound of waste per day. Last summer, more than 1,600 geese were rounded up in Denver parks, killed and given away as food.

On Friday, Reis issued a statement on Facebook.

"Despite a yearlong campaign by Denver voters to appeal this decision, Denver Parks and Recreation continued its program this year, killing ~500 more Canada Geese in the month of July."

"I, like so many across our great State, believe it is necessary to address large-scale lethal management of animals whenever and wherever it occurs," he stated.

Reis argued that year-to-year culling of urban wildlife is "costly to taxpayers, scientifically ineffective as a long-term solution, and woefully inhumane."

"I strongly encourage Denver and every city in our great State to exhaust all non-lethal options before ever considering killing animals," Reis stated.

Officials with Denver Parks and Rec say they've tried hazing the geese and oiling eggs to keep them from hatching, but those methods have not been very successful at keeping parks clean.

RELATED: Denver Uses 'Goosinator' To Scare Geese Out Of Parks

This year, the U.S. Wildlife Department has authorized the removal of 4,000 Canada geese in Colorado. That's nearly double the amount approved last year.