2:27pm Thursday 15th May 2008
THIS is the brutal attack on a swan by two dogs in Sankey Valley Park captured on film by a shocked bystander.
People watched in horror as the female swan, which had been sitting on her eggs, was repeatedly mauled by what is believed to be a pitbull and a Staffordshire bull terrier.
A fisherman was among those who tried to separate the animals from the bird. But RSPCA officers could not save the swan due to its horrific wing and neck injuries.
David Ashton, aged 39, of Woolston, was fishing with a friend when the pitbull-type dog pounced on the swan at around 5.30pm on Friday.
He said: "A white pitbull and a brown Staffy were off their leads and the white dog went straight for the nest.
"He grabbed the female swan and started ragging it but the swan managed to get away and the dogs and their owner carried on walking.
"But about half-an-hour later they came back. The dogs were still off their leads and the pitbull went straight for the nest again."
The swan managed to free itself and made a desperate bid for safety in the canal only to be followed by the white dog.
Mr Ashton said: "She managed to get back on her nest but the dog dragged her out of the reeds and on to the footpath where the brown dog also started attacking it.
"The dog took no notice of its owner. It was well out of control."
The owner, who has not been identified, did make attempts to call his dogs off and was seen to jump in the river to try to separate the white dog from the swan, which is a protected species.
The swans and their eggs, of which only two remained out of seven, had created great interest among visitors and had sparked calls from Whittle Hall councillors for the restoration of resident rangers in an effort to protect the nest, which was in a vulnerable position on the canal bank.
Dr Alex Symonds, aged 56, from Callands had gone with his wife to visit the swans and also witnessed the attack, capturing the horrific scene on film.
He said: "It could have been a child. We are all so upset about this and want to see the owner prosecuted."
An RSPCA spokesman said: "This was a very sad incident which must have caused great suffering to the swan involved, and the RSPCA would like to hear from anyone who saw what happened, or knows anything about the dogs allegedly involved." The RSPCA can be contacted on 0300 1234 999 in confidence.
Police are investigating.
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