Yummy swan burgers ....
Posted on 05/25/2004 10:28:57 AM PDT by Shermy
Pet owners have been warned to keep their animals under control after two dogs were killed by a territorial swan in a park lake.
Mansfield District Council said a dog was drowned last week by a cob while playing in the Carrs park in Warsop, Nottinghamshire.
It said the animal had dived into the mill pond, the swan felt threatened and attacked the dog to protect his family.
The local RSPCA branch described the event as “highly unusual”
The incident is thought to be the second such death, after a dog was found drowned in the same pond two weeks ago. A member of the council’s parks department found the dog in the water.
On Sunday, a swan was attacked and badly injured by a dog on Berry Hill Park, in Mansfield.
Council cabinet leisure spokesman Councillor Danny McCrossan said: “These are quite frightening incidents and we are keen to warn dog owners that it is important in any public space to keep your dog under control.
“Local bye laws state that dog owners must keep their pets under control and we would urge people to abide by them to prevent further incidents.
“We do sympathise with the dog owners in the first two cases but we also need to protect the wildlife in our parks. It was only a natural reaction by the swan to attack the dogs, so we cannot blame them, but these incidents can be prevented if people ensure their pets do not go near the wildlife.
“There are swans at many of our parks and open spaces, dog owners need to be vigilant at all parks and open spaces.”
RSPCA east region superintendent Tim Wass said: “In our experience this is a highly unusual incident and the first of its kind that I have heard of in 18 years with the RSPCA. We do understand and sympathise with the dog’s owners.
“However, swans can be parentally and territorially defensive, as can many animals if they feel threatened, and it’s important that the public respect their environment and make sure that domestic animals do not come into direct contact with wildlife
Ka-pow!
Problems solved.
High powered air rifle or light 22 loads.
Swans are simply pests. Like rats, or carpenter ants and should be dealt with as such.
How does a bird drown a dog?
By holding the dog's head under water with its wing. No kidding. Geese do this too. My MinPin jumped in a pond after a mama goose who protected her babies and dang near drowned my dog - if it hadn't been for my daughter who jumped in the pond (against mom's screaming) to save her dog.
Well, in this case, it seems to me that the dogs were invading the swan's home.
Since the park isn't the dog's home (and they were supposed to be on leash anyway), seems like the swan was doing what comes naturally. It's not like the swan flew into somebody's yard and attacked their dog.
We visit my sister's home on a river quite often, and the neighbors down the road have geese that sometimes swim up the river.
My Weim thinks she can take the geese on, but she's been wrong, they gang up on her and she retreats.
Just a matter of survival of the fittest in my book.
bark ping
Swans are beautiful and majestic and big and aggressive in a manner that belies their pretty appearance.
Great to watch flying and landing if you have the chance.
Overkill. Gimme my nine-iron, and I'll clear up your swan problem in a minute flat. Actually, maybe I'll go for the sand wedge on this shot...
I just moved from Michigan where I have many friends who live on the many small lakes nw of Detroit. The swan problem there is excessive, geese as well.
Children attacked, while not seriously injured, its a problem.
Traffic accidents due to baby geese.
Other pets attacked.
Some of these small lakes, and the prolific man-made ponds out in that area are completely befouled by the birds there are so many of them.
A woman I worked with was attacked by two swans, they wouldn't let her out of house to get to her car(which I find hilarious, can we say Louisville Lobotomy?) and other reports of evil swan behavior.
The park is there for the enjoyment of taxpayers. Swans don't pay taxes. And while I understand the joy of observing wildlife(before shooting it) If a swan can drown a dog. Then it can drown a small child. If it can drown a small child, then it is a hazard to the community at large and should be dealt with as such.
Viking Swans?
Actually, swans can be really nasty critters. When I was a little kid, I was feeding bread to ducks and swans, and this one big male didn't seem to like the idea of sharing. He chased off all the other ducks and swans, and then started chasing me to get the remaining bread. The bugger actually bit me on the hand an leg, breaking the skin. My father chased him away by swinging some fishing poles at the evil bird!
Mark
blaming the victim (the dog),
championing (nuisance) wildlife,
blaming humans for nature being nature (failure to control the dog was the cause),
using appeals to emotion to placate opposition (synmpathizing),
and only seeing one side (the swan acted naturally, but the dog didn't?!)
looking to laws to fix problems of nature...
let me guess how this guy votes... hmm...
Geese are easy to deal with. I grew up raising them.
When they come charging at you just stand your ground and grab them around the neck.
They will beat you with their wings, but it never really hurt me much.
After they wear themselves out flapping and struggling to get their head out from your grip you reach down and grab their body and pin their wings to their body.
Then they are so freaked out they settle down and are only interested in getting away from you.
Swans on the other hand are mean bastards. Don't screw around with them.
Swans keep Canadian geese away . . . I'd take a swan over a girlie-dog like a Yorkie any day of the week. And let's face it folks, if your dog gets drowned by a swan, get a bigger dog. Seeing that dogs resemble their owners, I suggest getting a therapist as well.
Years ago, A buddy of mine took one out on takeoff about 25 yards downrange of the tee box. Pow! Right in the temple and it dropped like a rock.
I was sporting and gave my friend a mulligan on the shot...8^)
Isn't this how the Clintons claim Vince Foster died?
"So, I guess the question is, 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?"
(From the web site) "Scottish news direct from Scotland"
Scottish Bleeding Heart Liberal, I would Guess.
blaming the victim (the dog),
championing (nuisance) wildlife,
blaming humans for nature being nature (failure to control the dog was the cause),
using appeals to emotion to placate opposition (synmpathizing),
and only seeing one side (the swan acted naturally, but the dog didn't?!)
looking to laws to fix problems of nature...
You list some very good observations...
Swans are highly overrated, IMHO. They may be the only birds that practices Islam.
"Swans on the other hand are mean bastards. Don't screw around with them."
Can you tame one?
I never had a run in with a goose or a swan, but it looks like a reasonably sized man could just grab their neck and wring it - end of problem. Human beings have been known to kill leopards and large dogs with their bare hands. A swan doesntl seem so tough.
Concerns About Mute Swans
...Adult mute swans are known to become dangerously aggressive toward people and pets, especially in areas where they have become accustomed to food handouts. There are numerous cases in Wisconsin and elsewhere where mute swans have threatened and attacked people in parks, backyards, and small boats. Although this aggressive behavior often involves a degree of bluffing, mute swans are capable of inflicting bruises, sprains, and bone fractures and, on at least two occasions, human fatalities have occurred. Aggressive tendencies vary widely between individual swans but are most pronounced in territorial breeding males...
And therein probably lies the "rub." Some taxpayers enjoy the swans, obviously the owners of the dog doesn't appreciate the swans too much at this point.
I live about 1/2 mile from a city park, it's loaded with alligators. You can take a walk through the nature trails and come within feet of 12 foot alligators sunning.
The taxpayers love the park...but obviously, no pets are allowed in the park. The rules at the park with the swans seemed to be that dogs should be leashed. If somebody disregarded the rules at the nature park near me and brought a dog in, they might end up with a dead dog.
Gators in my neck of the woods are everywhere, and they do and will kill dogs, if the dogs get too close to the water.
But the gator's just doing what is "natural" to it, and if someone is stupid enough to let their dog swim in a lake with gators, well.
P.S. I will add though that when a gator gets too large in a residential lake (over 10 foot) the county will remove the gator.
I hunt/eat ducks, geese, gator and feral hogs. Are you allowed to hunt swans? If so, how do they taste? Seems like a rather large bird to fit in the oven.
Damn, the otters have some competition.
I think the real problem here is what foolish breeders did to dogs. They turned wolf stock into rat dogs. I'd be willing to bet in the history of the earth no wolf has been drowned by a swan.
Same thing happened to a buddy of mine, except it was a duck. We went out for chinese after our round!
They can be reasonably tamed but are dangerous during the breeding season and when they have signets. The way to handle them is to grab them high up on the neck with your left hand (if right handed) and then envelope their wings with your right and grab hold of their legs. This all has to be done as fast as possible as they do not co-operate in this manoever. ( I speak from personal experience)
I love it!!! Protect that family, Momma Swan!!!
They do. A breeding pair of trumpeter or mute swans own the lake zone or pond they territorialize. A big male can weigh 30 -35 pounds. They can, and on rare occasion do, drown Retrievers that swim into their "get outta here" zone. Domestic dogs (and their stupid owners) don't understnd the threat their encroachment involves.
They're being located on golf courses in Minnesota and Wisconsin to get rid of pooping Canadian Goose hoardes. Very effectively.
True story: I had to walk a swan across Orchard Lake Road in Keego Harbor. It was on the wrong side from Cass Lake, and didn't have enough of a "runway" to fly across, so it kept walking across the street causing traffic to stop, then would turn around and walk back to the curb.
I blocked southbound traffic with my patrol car, and stood in front of northbound traffic hoping the bird would get the message. I couldn't scare it across - damn thing was almost as tall as me. And I doubt that shooting it in front of all those witnesses would have been much of an option.
It finally got the hint and walked across, to the relief of me and several delayed motorists.
I've read that the mature males can weigh up to 50 pounds.
I've plucked goose down, but never without a bruise or two! I put a sock over their head, tuck it under my arm, and pull feathers out of their backside and stuff them in a paper bag.
So I can well believe that swans could do harm.
Dear Mrs. Web,
I live on a small lake surrounded by thirty-six homes. Last spring a group of 2/3 of the residents pooled their money and purchased a pair of adult swans for the lake. Some residents chose not to contribute.
This spring during the mating season, the male swan has become somewhat aggressive. The mating season lasts about two months. An aggressive swan at worst will rush at a perceived intruder, wings flapping (they cannot fly), and mouth open as to bite (they have no teeth). Their only weapon is intimidation. The only response needed is to stand up to him and not run. Shoo him back into the water and it's finished.
Most of the neighbors use this method. However, we have two residents who think that the only way to deal with him is with an instrument of some sort, a leaf rake, a broom, a fishing pole, and even a metal pole of some sort. They don't shoo him back; they hit him repeatedly with what they have. One even taught his children to do this.
I have videotape of both of these neighbors mistreating the swans. We have had the authorities talk with them on three occasions to no avail. The warden says that the next step is court action. Would going to court be the right thing to do to neighbors that we must live with on a daily basis?
The thought of being confronted and chased by an amorous, protective swan certainly gives Dear Mrs. Web a long pause. Although I do not agree with your neighbor’s solution, I understand that people sometimes become upset or riled by an out-of-control attacking animal. Not everyone can face these sorts of situations with grace and cool.
I don’t think I would take legal action. It would be difficult for the entire lake association. It would turn what must be a pleasant neighborhood into a bickering, angry, and uncomfortable place. Sometimes excellent ideas just don’t work with certain groups of people. I don’t think having the swans there is worth this sort of alienation.
Instead, I would address the problem. You have an animal that comes onto different resident’s properties and sometimes attacks the owners and their families. Small children may be at risk. Moreover, some of the people in the neighborhood actually got together to pay for this privilege.
Perhaps another female can replace the male. Your local wildlife biologist or swan hatchery may be able to help you make this decision. If two females would not work, this may not be the time, or the right group of people for swans in the lake. I know there are just one or two problem people, but they are part of the group that lives around the lake, and it isn’t working for them, so the group, in my opinion, needs to find an alternative.
Dear Mrs. Web,
I live on a small lake surrounded by thirty-six homes. Last spring a group of 2/3 of the residents pooled their money and purchased a pair of adult swans for the lake. Some residents chose not to contribute.
This spring during the mating season, the male swan has become somewhat aggressive. The mating season lasts about two months. An aggressive swan at worst will rush at a perceived intruder, wings flapping (they cannot fly), and mouth open as to bite (they have no teeth). Their only weapon is intimidation. The only response needed is to stand up to him and not run. Shoo him back into the water and it's finished.
Most of the neighbors use this method. However, we have two residents who think that the only way to deal with him is with an instrument of some sort, a leaf rake, a broom, a fishing pole, and even a metal pole of some sort. They don't shoo him back; they hit him repeatedly with what they have. One even taught his children to do this.
I have videotape of both of these neighbors mistreating the swans. We have had the authorities talk with them on three occasions to no avail. The warden says that the next step is court action. Would going to court be the right thing to do to neighbors that we must live with on a daily basis?
The thought of being confronted and chased by an amorous, protective swan certainly gives Dear Mrs. Web a long pause. Although I do not agree with your neighbor’s solution, I understand that people sometimes become upset or riled by an out-of-control attacking animal. Not everyone can face these sorts of situations with grace and cool.
I don’t think I would take legal action. It would be difficult for the entire lake association. It would turn what must be a pleasant neighborhood into a bickering, angry, and uncomfortable place. Sometimes excellent ideas just don’t work with certain groups of people. I don’t think having the swans there is worth this sort of alienation.
Instead, I would address the problem. You have an animal that comes onto different resident’s properties and sometimes attacks the owners and their families. Small children may be at risk. Moreover, some of the people in the neighborhood actually got together to pay for this privilege.
Perhaps another female can replace the male. Your local wildlife biologist or swan hatchery may be able to help you make this decision. If two females would not work, this may not be the time, or the right group of people for swans in the lake. I know there are just one or two problem people, but they are part of the group that lives around the lake, and it isn’t working for them, so the group, in my opinion, needs to find an alternative.
Blaming the victim? Only if the loser is automatically the victim.
A woman stuck her arm in a bear cage the other day and lost an arm. I blame her. She is a victim of her own actions, not the bear.
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