Swan killed in suspected dog attack in Southam

A swan has been killed in a suspected dog attack in Southam.

A passer-by found the remains of the swan by the side of the river near a popular dog walking route on Saturday March 12.

Police were told that the death might have been caused by a dog and that members of the public may have witnessed the incident.

Swans are protected as a ‘wild bird’ by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (UK), and it remains an offence to kill, injure or take a wild bird, or to take, disturb or destroy the eggs of a wild bird.

A spokesperson for the Warwickshire Rural Crime Team said: "On locating the remains, it was clear that scavengers had already been at the carcass so it wouldn't be possible to accurately determine the cause of death.

"It was very apparent from the scene that the swan had been in the process of building a nest on the banks of the river when attacked.

"On closer inspection of the surrounding scene we located several dog paw prints in the mud inside the semi built nest and surrounding area."

They added: "We are appealing for any witnesses to come forward and contact the team directly. Likewise if your dog was responsible you need to do the right thing and contact the team now.

You can contact the team either directly via Facebook messenger (search for WarwickshireRuralCrimeTeam on Facebook) or email [email protected]