'Swans have a hard life - don't make it worse'

Swans have a lot to deal with, says volunteer rescuer Danni Rogers

Dog owners have been warned they could be prosecuted if their pets harm swans.

It comes after a number of attacks on wildlife in London.

In the past year, three swans have been killed and others badly injured by dogs who were "clearly out of control", according to a bird sanctuary.

The Swan Sanctuary in Shepperton, Middlesex said the attacks happened at ponds in Wanstead, Epping Forest and along the Thames on Limehouse beach in Wapping.

Injured swans recover at the sanctuary

Danni Rogers from the sanctuary urged owners to comply with the law and said more needed to be done to raise public awareness to ensure dogs are kept under control.

He described a swan attacked by a dog in London, that "got rescued locally, came to the sanctuary, and the vet and the team did an amazing job on the wound.

"But this swan did unfortunately pass away two days later of shock."

It is illegal to allow a dog to chase or injure water birds and yet, said Mr Rogers, many dog owners seem to be unaware of this.

"Various legislations and acts actually does say you should keep your dogs on a lead in areas where there are waterfowl.

"You can be prosecuted if you're seen chasing, harassing, scaring, injuring or killing birds, or any wildlife in this country."

He said the law is also there to protect dogs, and owners "who allow their dog to go into a lake, into a river, chasing a swan, are potentially putting it at risk.

"Swans are very dangerous animals, they're very big, they're very powerful, they can weigh up to 15kg.

"So if your dog can't touch the bottom of the water they're in, there's a high chance they could drown."

Mr Rogers said swans were "beautiful and intelligent creatures", which already have "a lot to deal with".

"Predation and then human interaction, dog attacks, catapult crime, poaching - they have such a difficult life."