RSPCA officers were really concerned after receiving reports of a swan which had been beheaded in Warrington. But, they had a pleasant surprise when they arrived to find a plastic model which was broken at the neck!
An upset woman contact the animal welfare charity on February 22 after spotting the swan laid out on the gravel at Europa Boulevard in Westbrook.
RSPCA inspector Claire Fisher visited the scene and quickly realised all wasn’t as it first seemed…
“When the woman called us she said the bird was collapsed with the neck stretched out and that it couldn’t move,” Inspector Fisher said.
“She thought the swan had been hit by a car before collapsing on some gravel beside a pond.
“I met the site manager on Gemini Business Park and we soon realised no veterinary treatment would be necessary - as the bird was a plastic model!
“We can only guess that a driver had seen the swan from the road - which was some distance - where it could have easily been mistaken for a real bird!
“He arranged some emergency treatment for the beheaded statue - some silicone and a screw or two - before returning her to her mate!”
The RSPCA takes all complaints of animal cruelty seriously and looks into all reports. However, sometimes the charity does discover reports aren’t always quite what they may seem.
Inspector Fisher added: “We all had a laugh about this one and, to be honest, were just relieved there wasn’t a swan that had suffered an awful death.”
To report animal cruelty or a welfare concern to the RSPCA, call the charity’s 24-hour hotline on 0300 1234 999.
