A swan has been put to sleep after sustaining a neck injury during a brutal dog attack on the grounds of Brodie Castle.
Franky was rescued from a pond on the Brodie Castle estate on February 5 after being spotted with a badly injured neck.
Despite her injuries, the frightened bird managed to evade animal welfare officers from the Scottish SPCA for two days.
Officers Lynn Cruickshank and Mich Mann were desperate to get her off the water.
Ms Cruickshank said: “Despite being injured, she was still swimming strongly and flying low.
“We needed to use a boat to reach her and, after quite a chase, I eventually hooked her. She was exhausted, but it was the only option we had left.
“We had a quick look, and the wounds on her neck were quite bad. The base of her neck was swollen.
Vets forced to end suffering of injured swan after dog attack
“She was then transferred to our National Wildlife Rescue Centre so she could be seen by our vets quickly.”
The pond, located on the estate, is a prime destination for nature lovers and dog walkers.
When Franky was taken in, she was found with multiple dog bites on her neck and more than 10 leeches in her nose.
She was doing well, but she suddenly stopped eating after developing abscesses in her neck above the wound site.
While vets attempted to operate in time, it became clear that there was too much damage, and they made the decision to end her suffering.
The Scottish SPCA says this incident is a reminder to keep dogs under control in areas where wildlife is present.
They added that dog attacks on swans are on the rise.
The charity urges anyone who witnesses a dog attack or an injured animal in need to contact the charity’s helpline at 03000 999 999.
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