Fowl Play: 50 Cent the Goose Survives 7 Shots

What do you call a goose that survived being shot seven times?

Staffers at All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in Mountain Home, Ark., initially wanted to name the waterfowl "Tupac," after the late rapper.

"Tupac died though," Rob Conner, the veterinarian who treated the bird, told The Baxter Bulletin newspaper. "[Rapper] 50 Cent was shot several times and he survived, so we named him 50 Cent."

Area residents noticed a goose with an injured wing and brought him to Conner's northern Arkansas practice last month.

Conner says an X-ray revealed the goose had been shot seven times with a pellet gun. Conner operated on the bird's wing, inserting a metal rod and plastic tube to help the bird heal. The rod was removed from the bird's wing Monday.

Authorities don't know who shot 50 Cent, but it seems the hardy bird will find a good home after all its troubles.

Conner Tuesday told the Bulletin that his office has been flooded with calls from people offering to adopt the bird.

Anyone interested in taking 50 Cent home would need to be screened, Conner said.

"He needs a water source like a pond or something, a food source and - most of all - good people," Conner told the Bulletin. "He likes people and he's a pretty cool little animal."

Conner also said he hoped 50 Cent's story made people think twice about hurting geese.

"There are other ways to solve problem animals," Conner told the newspaper. "It takes a pretty hard-hearted person to shoot and wound an animal seven times."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.