Swan attacked by dog in Pagham pond

The charity was called to Lake View on March 21 to reports of a swan which had been injured in a dog attack.

Jo Robertson, of Elm Tree Close in Pagham, witnessed the attack and reported the incident to an inspector.

She said: “It is very likely it was an accident, but it would have been nice if the owner had just spoken to someone about it. The owner did not speak to anyone and she just walked away.

“I would say to owners stop letting their dogs loose around here and it would be nice if people just kept their dogs on leads because there is a lot of activity and dogs can get excited.”

Inspector Rebecca Carter waded into the water to rescue the bird and took it to a nearby vets for treatment, along with the swan’s mate to keep the pair together.

Inspector Carter said: “This was an accidental incident in which a dog managed to slip its lead and attack the swan. Luckily, the bird wasn’t seriously injured and is expected to make a full recovery so he can be released back into the wild where he belongs.

“However, I would like to remind people of the importance of keeping dogs on leads and under control around wildlife to avoid something similar happening again.”

The RSPCA said the bird was found to have a broken leg but veterinary staff believe it will heal and it will be well enough to return to the wild.

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