State police in Oregon are investigating a suspected act of animal cruelty after a much-loved goose known as Princess Collette was found to have been shot several times with BB pellets and later died. The bird had become a local celebrity in the affluent lakeside community of Lake Oswego, and her death has left neighbours and wildlife enthusiasts devastated.

Collette had returned to resident Della Shanley's dock last week, injured and unable to use her right wing. Shanley, who had spent months caring for the goose and ran an online page called "Fowl Relationships on Oswego Lake", took her to Lisa Harrenstien, a board-certified zoological medicine specialist at Tanasbourne Veterinary. X-rays revealed the goose had been shot multiple times, and despite efforts to save her, Collette died on Tuesday. Shanley said she could not imagine why anyone would deliberately target the bird.