A swan had to be put to sleep after it was attacked by an unleashed dog.
The swan had half its wing missing, a huge dog bite underneath its other wing and it could 'barely lift its head' according to the man who found it.
Paul Bray, who helped to set up wildlife protection group Cheshire Against Blood Sports two and a half years ago, was told about the swan by a friend who saw it on a walk.
Mr Bray then went to the New Cut trail near Manchester Road, Warrington, on Tuesday afternoon (August 4) to assess the swan's injuries.
He took it to My Pets Vets in Lowton, Wigan, but the animal's wounds were too severe.
Mr Bray told CheshireLive: "When I got there, he was clearly in such a bad state that it was evident not much could be done for him.
"Half his wing was missing, he had a massive wound underneath its right wing as a result of a dog bite that had become infested with maggots.
"He had probably struggled on for three or four days until it was too weak and started to give up. He allowed me to wrap him in a blanket and make him comfortable as I took him to his final journey.
"I told the vet that I didn't expect it to survive but at least it would not die and rot away at the side of the river."
Mr Bray, who owns two dogs himself, pleaded with dog owners to keep their dog on a lead when near wildlife.
He added: "It's just ridiculous. Even as I was assessing the swan, there were loads of people walking past with dogs off their lead and chasing birds.
"People just don't care, it's irresponsible and it's not the dog's fault because it's in their nature.
"I never let my dogs off the lead because you can never predict what they're going to do.
"Yet another innocent, magnificent, proud, feisty swan has been lost because of the selfishness of humans."
In June, a swan 'died of a broken heart' in Kearsley, Bolton after yobs destroyed its nest.
Swans, their nests and their eggs are all protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
