A swan has been saved from starving to death after heartless litter louts dropped rubbish at a Scots beauty spot.
The Scottish SPCA were called to Barshaw Park in Paisley on May 5 after a member of the public noticed the bird was in trouble.
A bright orange bottle top ring had become stuck around the animal’s tongue and lower beak leaving it struggling to eat.
Thanks to the quick intervention of the animal welfare charity, the offending rubbish was swiftly removed allowing the bird to rejoin its swan friends on the pond.
Scottish SPCA senior animal rescue officer Jan Toraman said, “The swan had a plastic bottle top ring stuck around its lower beak and tongue.
It was very tight so was affecting the bird’s ability to eat. We are grateful to the passer-by who contacted us.
“If it hadn’t been reported when it was, the swan could have become weak and vulnerable.
“Thankfully, I managed to catch the swan and cut the ring relatively quickly so that the swan experienced minimal stress.
“After an examination to make sure there were no other injuries, I released the swan and it happily made its way back to its swan friends’
She added that this incident should be a warning to Scots about the possible consequences of discarding unwanted rubbish.
She added: “If we hadn’t been on hand to rescue the swan then it would have died as a result of someone leaving this small piece of litter. This is a stark reminder to everyone to please dispose of their rubbish responsibly.
“No matter how small, it has the potential to be dangerous or lethal to wildlife. This incident has a happy ending but sadly not all of them do.”
Anyone concerned about the welfare of an animal should contact the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
