Two swans taken into care by Swan Support after being attacked in central Newbury
Two swans have been taken into care after being attacked in central Newbury earlier this week.
Swan Support, a voluntary organisation dedicated to treating and caring for sick and injured swans within the Thames Valley and surrounding areas, took the two injured birds into its care after the incident occurred.
Swan Support has stated that a member of the public witnessed two perpetrators shooting at the swans with an air rifle in the canal opposite the Slug and Lettuce cocktail bar between 5pm and 5.30pm on Tuesday.
One of the birds has an injured beak, while another was hit in its head just below the eye.
A Thames Valley Police (TVP) spokesperson said: “We received a report of swans being attacked on the canal by Victoria Park, Newbury, at around 6pm on Tuesday.
“Officers are investigating and anyone with information should call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43230353452.
“Alternatively, provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.”
Swan Support operations director Wendy Hermon said: “We will never know or understand what these individuals get from inflicting pain and suffering on our innocent wildlife.
“It’s a real concern and heart breaking to see the impact it has.”
She also voiced her frustration with TVP for their response to crimes against swans.
She said: “We are getting extremely frustrated and feel that our local police force do not seem to take wildlife crime seriously.
“When working with other forces they do tend to take a more proactive approach when dealing with this type of incident.
“Please note this is not a direct criticism, more an observation.”
In response, a TVP spokesperson said: “We take wildlife crime extremely seriously, including swans being killed or attacked.
“Our Rural Crime Taskforce is responsible for tackling wildlife crime and use intelligence to support their activity.
“The taskforce shares their expertise with neighbourhood officers to improve local knowledge of these offences so we can collectively make the Thames Valley a hostile area for offenders.
“Our Assessment and Investigation Unit aims to improve the standards of service provided to victims and create capacity for our front line officers to focus on incidents and crimes with the most threat, harm and risk.
“While not all offences can lead to prosecutions, all reports of wildlife crime are taken into consideration by the local teams to inform patrols and activity.
“While we understand the frustrations shared, the outcomes for offenders is a matter for the courts.”
Swan Support launched a petition in March to push for stronger penalties to deter wildlife crime which can be accessed at http://rb.gy/gux9k
The petition currently has more than 100,000 signatures.
