A dead goose that was linked to a possible serial animal killer in a southwestern Ontario city is no longer considered part of an investigation into a number of gruesome discoveries involving mutilated animals.
Judy Foster, the executive director of the London Humane Society, said a citizen told them last week they found the goose at the side of the road and, unsure what to do, dropped it off at the society's doorstep last summer.
"They thought they were doing the right thing by bringing it here," Foster said.
Last week, Foster went public about the potential links between eight incidents over the past year involving at least 17 dead animals in London, Ont.
Many of those animals were found skinned and mutilated — some even behead — and placed in poses in public places.
Earlier this month, a passerby found a skinned, beheaded dog drained of its blood on top of a recycling bin near The Beer Store in a high-traffic area.
All the animal deaths being investigated involved some form of mutilation, but there was no blood at the scenes, Foster has said, suggesting they were killed elsewhere.
A scalpel appears to have been used in each case, she said. The humane society also thought a scalpel was used on the goose, initially believing it was stabbed.
The media attention around the discoveries, however, prompted the citizen who had brought the goose to the humane society to come forward and explain that animal's story, Foster said.
"There were puncture wounds, but we didn't do a necropsy on the goose," Foster said. "It's quite possible that the puncture wounds were from a vehicle."
Despite the development, investigators are still looking for the person, or persons, responsible for the other deaths that include a mutilated cat that was gutted and its body placed in a park near a footpath. Six coyotes, found posing in pairs, have also been found in and around the city.
The first pair were discovered on Western University's campus late last year, but weren't skinned. Two dead coyotes, without heads and skin, were found near a grocery store last February, Foster said.
A skinned, beheaded bunny was also found on campus and a resident discovered a group of dead snakes curled up on a road in September.
Last week London police assigned an officer to the case, who is now working with the humane society's investigator.
"The police have been updated on all of the incidents and we are co-operating with them and working hand-in-hand going forward," Foster said. "We're really hoping that someone will come forward that will help us identify who's responsible."
