A daring swan rescue

Shantara

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 August 2009
Messages
7,428
Location
Milton Keynes
Visit site
Me and my friends were going for a walk with her new-ish horse (friend riding, me and other friend walking with pram and dog!!) when we come across some swans. Horse gets a bit 'looky' but is ok. We then notice one of the cygnets is walking a bit funny and a small crowd has gathered. I then see why! The poor thing had a bag around it's neck and was in real distress :(

We call the RSPCA at once (as no one else had!!) and they don't seem that bothered :\
Cygnet gets into the water and panics again!! Thankfully horse/dog/baby are behaving impeccably!
They say they might send someone over. We don't want to leave the poor thing, but we have to get horse and dog back and the baby needs feeding! Friends take horse and baby home (2mins away) and I wait in case the RSPCA decide to turn up.

Friend with baby returns without dog, but friend with horse had to go. So, we go and look for the cygnet, who's decided to get into the water and follow it's parents to the nest.

A helpful fishing man point us in the direction of the nest, where we see both parents and both cygnets, one still with the bag!

We call RSPCA again, but since now it's on it's nest, apparently it's safe :S um, ok then!!
We just couldn't leave it. We stood around for a while and tried to get close without scaring them too much.

I picked up a long stick to try and hook it off, but neither parent liked that and we backed off a bit. I then saw you could get behind the nest, closer to the cygnet.


VICTORY!!!! I hooked the bag off and put it in the bin :D I think it was grateful :)

a story such as this wouldn't be complete without pics ;)

For those who are wondering, we called the RSPCA back to let them know their services were no longer required!!


When we first spotted them


Mother keeping a beady eye on us!


Father and the cygnets, still with bag!


The offending bag and "victory stick!"
 
Well done for stepping in. The RSPCA are just so wonderful aren't they! What DO they actually do? You see these prigrammes about them and they spend seemingly hours rescuing swans in much less dangerous predicaments. Do you just have to be with a TV company to get them to do anything? Seems so!
 
To be honest, in the past they've been really good with all my issues, but lately :\ friend who I was with was telling me how many times they have let her down!!
 
Good for you for helping out when needed. Such a shame the RSPCA couldn't assist. Can you call the RSPB under such circumstances I wonder?
 
Top