Dog owner caught in vicious attack on cocker spaniel

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The incident happened on Tuesday at around 8.15 am at Astbury Mere in Congleton, Cheshire. The bird suffered wounds to her chest and died soon after the incident. A local fisherman who attempted to save the bird described the canine as a ‘Staffordshire bull terrier-type”. It was reported that the dog’s owner, who fled the scene, did not have a lead on his pet and ran away before the fishermen called the police.

RSPCA Inspector Jenny Bethel said: “This was a horrible attack on a swan, which again demonstrates the importance of having your dog on a lead when out walking in the countryside and at wildlife beauty spots.

“She was dragged out of her nest, in which were her two cygnets, which had only hatched in the last 24 hours, and three other eggs.

“Her male partner was out on the lake and when I arrived at the location I could see he was visibly stressed after seeing what happened.”

The body of the swan was taken to the RSCPA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, where the vet at the time confirmed the 5cm wounds from one dog bite had punctured the bird’s chest which would likely have caused the bird to suffocate.

Her two cygnets are now being cared for by staff at the Stapely Grand Wildlife centre.

RSPCA Inspector Bethel added: “I did put the cygnets out onto the water to see if the male might come back to them, but he didn’t.

“We will release them eventually, but for now, they will spend time being nurtured and cared for at Stapeley.

“It is very sad as the nest appeared well concealed at the bottom of an embankment.

“But the dog was roaming free and managed to get down to it.

“There are signs around the country park warning owners to keep their dogs on leads, so people should be well aware of the dangers presented to wildlife”.

The owner of the dog is described as a 40-year-old man, around six feet tall with grey hair.

His dog is a dark coloured, long-legged Staffordshire bull terrier-type.

Anyone with any information about the identity of the dog owner should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018 or Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident number IML1287301.

Staffordshire bull terriers are a compact and stockily built medium-sized breed of a dog with a muscular appearance.

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