Geese Chasers expands to Northern Virginia and D.C.

Start packing your bags, geese. 

Geese Chasers, a professional geese management service that uses trained Border Collies to humanely drive the relocation of unwanted geese, opened this week in Northern Virginia. Geese Chasers’ method for geese elimination is safe, effective and affordable, relying on highly trained Border Collies, herding dogs by nature, and their handlers to bother Canada geese into permanently fleeing the premises. Fredericksburg resident and Army veteran Bill Edwards will own and operate the local business, along with his Border Collie, Anna-Liz.

Edwards started his 12-year Army career as an infantry soldier in the Alabama National Guard while attending the University of Alabama, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human environmental science. He was then commissioned as a second lieutenant, assigned to Camp Casey Korea, and served as a headquarters and headquarters battery (HHB) executive officer as well as a battery (MLRS) platoon leader. Edwards proceeded to rise through the ranks until completing his military career as a captain providing strategic counsel to top leadership on the best employment of artillery, land and air assets. He is also a combat veteran who was directly selected and assigned to the 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade (Advisors), as directed by the Department of Defense.

Edwards learned about the opportunity to own a Geese Chasers franchise during a program for Army members transitioning to civilian life. Geese Chasers and its unique service, established business model and built-in support appealed to Edwards and lined up well with the skills he developed through his military experience.

“When I first saw the Geese Chasers process in action, how quickly, effectively and responsibly it eliminates bothersome geese, I was amazed and knew this was a concept I wanted to be part of,” Edwards said. “Thanks to the incredible support of the Geese Chasers team, the Northern Virginia community will soon benefit from this innovative service.”

The company’s roots go back to 1998, when CEO Bob Young was playing fetch with his new Border Collie, Boomer. A golf course owner stopped him to share how Border Collies were used in the Midwest to chase geese and asked Young if he would be willing to try out the method on his course. Boomer cleared more than 200 geese the first week. From there, Young added another golf course to his client roster and the company took off from there.

Young sold his first franchise in 2011 in North Jersey. Northern Virginia will be the brand’s eighth location, with expansion into Connecticut and Chicago expected later this year.

“The Canada geese population grows by 15 to 20 percent every year — and so does our business,” Young said. “Wherever you find geese, grass and a body of water, you’ll find Geese Chasers working to safely and effectively clear bothersome geese to enable community members to fully enjoy their beautiful outdoor spaces. We look forward to bringing this humane and effective service to Northern Virginia and are confident Bill will find great success as an entrepreneur.”

Franchises are available throughout the country, with a 25 percent military discount.