A swan is recovering following a dramatic rescue involving the Scottish SPCA and the fire service in East Lothian.
Scotland’s animal welfare charity was alerted on Wednesday (25 February) after a member of the public spotted the bird trapped in branches in Haddington.
The swan is now receiving treatment at the Royal Dick Veterinary School in Edinburgh.
Animal Rescue Officer Fiona Thorburn said, “The swan was about 16ft up the tree and clearly in distress. It’s possible he had been up there overnight as it wasn’t until early on Wednesday morning he was discovered.
“The firefighters were able to get the bird to safety using a rope pulley system and I examined him. Thankfully, he had no obvious injuries other than being quite weak.
“It’s likely the swan was looking for somewhere to land and was blown off course due to the severe winds.
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the fire and rescue service who were absolutely brilliant throughout the operation.
“It’s very unlikely the swan would have been able to free himself had we not been able to help him.
“Hopefully we’ll soon be able to release him back into the wild where he belongs.
“This is the second time this week firefighters have helped us to save a swan after another one became trapped on Monday. Luckily both swans are recovering well from their ordeals.”
Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.
Photos by David Morgan
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
