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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to shame the people responsible for the death of a well-known swan

82 replies

LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:14

A local canal just over a couple of hills from where I live, has resident swans who everyone knows.

The canal itself is a countryside and picturesque stretch that becomes non-navigable due to a cloed tunnel, and is not even navigable where it should be due to restrictions at the minute from the Canal and River Trust.

There are two swans ( couple, most of the time....) who live on this part - close to a small hamlet with cottages facing the canal there - are loved by everyone and friendly. Despite that is, the male and his previous partner having been shot a couple of years ago. She died and he was injured and hospitalised for a while.
When he came back, a new female came with him, and they actually had some offsping, which was lovely to see.

This weekend, "someone" called out the RSPCA to him. He has a wonky neck, which worsens when he is tired, but it is an old injury and he is prefectly fine.
The RSPCA and a local vet "diagnosed" bird flu, and he has been destroyed!!!

There was a big struhgle to get him out, and he will have been very frightened. Only to be killed after all that! I cannot get that out of my mind.

They have a ring which if checked, will detail their history - and the "local" (it is quite big) Swan Rescue has full knowledge of him and his issues - and can handle swans nicely and carefully, as it their area of expertise.

I have never posted (in part) hoping that the press would get wind of the content. But I hope that one of their staff who are employed to seek out items to broadcast, might see this and follow up.

The swans were actually on Countryfile not long ago - and people would I am sure, be so sad and horrified to hear what has happened.

OP posts:
LittleEsme · 04/12/2022 20:15
Sad
Hardbackwriter · 04/12/2022 20:16

While I can understand feeling sad at the death of an animal that you'd come to see as a fixture, I don't think 'bird with bird flu is put down' is the major scandal that you seem to be imagining it is.

ShinyMe · 04/12/2022 20:16

How do you know he didn't have bird flu?

Teadrinkingmumofone · 04/12/2022 20:16

RSPCA. Useless, once again. What a crying shame 😢

Pumperthepumper · 04/12/2022 20:18

How would you know he was ‘perfectly fine’ though?

Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:19

Hardbackwriter · 04/12/2022 20:16

While I can understand feeling sad at the death of an animal that you'd come to see as a fixture, I don't think 'bird with bird flu is put down' is the major scandal that you seem to be imagining it is.

I didn't say it was a "scandal".

Newspapers have been known to report far more trivial things.
And the BBC did want to put them on the TV not so long ago, so there's that.

OP posts:
GoAgainstNicki · 04/12/2022 20:19

Hardbackwriter · 04/12/2022 20:16

While I can understand feeling sad at the death of an animal that you'd come to see as a fixture, I don't think 'bird with bird flu is put down' is the major scandal that you seem to be imagining it is.

Literally

Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:20

They said his wonky neck was a sign of it.
He has had a wonky neck for over eight years.

OP posts:
Ifailed · 04/12/2022 20:21

OP, are you a vet with particular knowledge of swans?

Jackiecirca1987 · 04/12/2022 20:21

Are you saying the person who reported the swan also shot the male swan (and his female swan partner) some time ago?

Sorry if I sound confused!

Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:21

GoAgainstNicki · 04/12/2022 20:19

Literally

Show quote history

Literally what.....?

(pointless)

OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 04/12/2022 20:21

It’s a swan. We’re coming up to a time of year where most of the country are going to be dining on turkey, chicken, goose, duck etc. I don’t see the killing of one bird by a vet as a particularly big deal and I would think the vet would be more qualified to decide whether the swan has bird flu than you would be. If the swan did have bird flu it could have passed it on to hundreds of other birds who would eventually die so it’s better to euthanise to reduce that possibility and it sounds like the swan was old anyway and had a dodgy neck so was past his prime. I guess if you liked watching him it’s a bit of a shame but wild animals die every day in much sadder circumstances, it definitely doesn’t warrant a thread or media attention.

NewBootsAndRanty · 04/12/2022 20:22

Couldn't the Swan Rescue have intervened?

Youdbetterthrowaparty · 04/12/2022 20:22

ShinyMe · 04/12/2022 20:16

How do you know he didn't have bird flu?

This. Bird flu is rife at the moment.

Autumnnewname · 04/12/2022 20:24

So you know better than a bet and the RSPCA

"Name and shame" (cringy hun speak) them all you wish

I don't imagine there will be many takers though

luxxlisbon · 04/12/2022 20:25

Why have you put diagnosed in inverted commas as though he wasn’t actually diagnosed though? A vet will have assessed the animal and made a decision, I would take the opinion of the vet over a random person with no animal knowledge.

Lots of swans around here have been passing away in the water due to bird flu.

Sorry but there is no story here, certainly not national press.

RobertaFirmino · 04/12/2022 20:26

Poor swan. Perhaps they could name a pub after him?

Dontaskdontget · 04/12/2022 20:26

Yanbu. 😥

With wildlife, the RSPCA/vets expect to either cure completely and cheaply, or euthanise. People call the RSPCA like it’s some kind of NHS for animals, not realising all they’ll achieve is to get the animal killed. Often a wild animal will be much better off taking its chances in the wild than in the hands of the RSPCA / a vet.

YANBU to remind people of this on local facebook or whatever.

Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:26

MolkosTeenageAngst · 04/12/2022 20:21

It’s a swan. We’re coming up to a time of year where most of the country are going to be dining on turkey, chicken, goose, duck etc. I don’t see the killing of one bird by a vet as a particularly big deal and I would think the vet would be more qualified to decide whether the swan has bird flu than you would be. If the swan did have bird flu it could have passed it on to hundreds of other birds who would eventually die so it’s better to euthanise to reduce that possibility and it sounds like the swan was old anyway and had a dodgy neck so was past his prime. I guess if you liked watching him it’s a bit of a shame but wild animals die every day in much sadder circumstances, it definitely doesn’t warrant a thread or media attention.

You're right.

Although I see posts about other trivial matters, or they just aren't interesting to me. I bypass them.

I also don't celebrate Christmas personally and will not be eating any animal, so that does not justify or balance out what has happened.

OP posts:
Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:29

NewBootsAndRanty · 04/12/2022 20:22

Couldn't the Swan Rescue have intervened?

They were not contacted by the RSPCA, who, if they knew their job, and where they were attending, would also have known about other wildlife rescue centres, especially local/specialist.

OP posts:
Pumperthepumper · 04/12/2022 20:29

You still haven’t said how you are more qualified to decide on the swans health though.

Original poster
LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:30

Ifailed · 04/12/2022 20:21

OP, are you a vet with particular knowledge of swans?

The vet who attended certainly was not.

OP posts:
Claudia84 · 04/12/2022 20:31

MolkosTeenageAngst · 04/12/2022 20:21

It’s a swan. We’re coming up to a time of year where most of the country are going to be dining on turkey, chicken, goose, duck etc. I don’t see the killing of one bird by a vet as a particularly big deal and I would think the vet would be more qualified to decide whether the swan has bird flu than you would be. If the swan did have bird flu it could have passed it on to hundreds of other birds who would eventually die so it’s better to euthanise to reduce that possibility and it sounds like the swan was old anyway and had a dodgy neck so was past his prime. I guess if you liked watching him it’s a bit of a shame but wild animals die every day in much sadder circumstances, it definitely doesn’t warrant a thread or media attention.

This

ShinyMe · 04/12/2022 20:31

Do you know more than vets about bird flu? Do you realise how horrifically contagious it is, and what a devastating effect it has on bird populations if it's left to spread?

Pumperthepumper · 04/12/2022 20:31

LoveMyPiano · 04/12/2022 20:30

The vet who attended certainly was not.

Show quote history

Oh, you’re being ridiculous. The vet knows better than you.