According to information obtained by The Guardian through freedom of information laws, police in the United Kingdom have reported a 59 percent increase in sadistic crimes against swans, ducks, and geese between 2020 and 2022. These crimes include acts such as decapitation, using fireworks and BB guns to kill waterfowl in ponds.
The report highlights various gruesome incidents of bird killings across the country. For example, in Avon and Somerset, the remains of two swans were found in a tub filled with blood. In Dorset, a swan was discovered decapitated with an arrow in its body. Devon and Cornwall recorded three separate incidents of swans being decapitated, along with a goose that had a stable door slammed and bolted around its neck. Additionally, in London, three swans were found with their heads chopped off. In Cumbria, a man was arrested for lifting a swan by its neck and throwing it at someone, while in Merseyside, police were alerted about youths shooting fireworks into a duck pond. In Yatton village, a significant number of ducks were found tied and drowned.
Between 2020 and 2022, there were a total of 62 reported crimes against ducks, swans, and geese, with 27 occurring in 2022, an increase from 18 in 2021 and 17 in 2020. Half of these crimes were concentrated in Essex, Merseyside, Devon, and Cornwall.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 provides protection for waterfowl, making it illegal to harm or kill them, or to destroy their nests and eggs. Offenders can face up to six months imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
A spokesperson for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) expressed concern about the cruelty towards animals, stating that it is disheartening to witness injured or killed wild animals as a result of shooting, beating, mutilation, or poisoning. They emphasized the need for society to reject such acts of cruelty and encouraged people to report suspicious activity to the RSPCA, Crimestoppers, or local police forces. The spokesperson also suggested consulting the RSPCA website for guidance.
These incidents of deliberate animal harm are believed to represent only a fraction of the actual cases, and it is suspected that many more animals may be suffering and dying in a similar manner.
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