4 thoughts on “Swan downer”

  1. Disgusting! All dogs should be in leads. That park is dreadful and I always fear for my children when dogs run over being ‘friendly’ and the owners saying ‘oh, don’t worry.. he’s a friendly dog’

    When your kids are scared of dogs it does not help. I would put a ban on dogs in the park!

    1. what a shame your kids are scared of dogs. they are missing out on so much and I expect you are too…
      unfortunately these sorts of phobias seems to be passed down generations.

  2. Swans mate for life and for the owner to let this happen is horrendous! I visit the Park regularly and been watching the swans for years. They trouble or hurt no-one, are beautiful and lovely to see watch their signets grow too. The poor swan, it wouldn’t have stood a chance. I think there should be new rules now for dogs to be on leads around the the pond areas. I hope the owner faces some sort of penalty for this. Must have been an aggressive dog. I feel very saddened about this news.

  3. This has happened over and over and over again in this park and it’s time CoL put a firm stop to this. Dogs ON LEADS when passing near the ponds. Off lead in the interior areas but back on the lead passing wildlife.

    2012: Shoulder of Mutton Pond (the small one) – female swan and several cygnets killed by a dog, seen by witnesses. male swan and ONE cygnet left alive.

    Male swan managed to pair with the locally dubbed “Mrs Hannibal” and raise her cygnets with his one survivor, following natural death of Hannibal on Heronry Pond. Success and happy ending to sad story.

    Except……

    2016: Female “Mrs Hannibal” — KILLED BY A DOG, on Heronry pond. Meaning her mate has now serially lost TWO female partners to death by a dog.

    Before that, white runner duck surviving well on Heronry and Perch, killed likely by a dog as the usual hallmarks of a fox predation were not in evidence.

    The following year: a cygnet killed by a dog again witnesses present, on Ornamental Waters.

    When you tell these dog owners about the by-law for keeping their dogs from chasing after the wildfowl, they either laugh in your face, say their dog is only playing, don’t believe you, or get angry and hurl abuse.

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