Swan kills a dog in Dublin Park

AulWan

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

They're not but they are incredibly protective of their young, if you were attacked you were somewhere where you shouldn't have been.

I was walking along a footpath on my way to school with my mother, minding our own business when I was attacked. I was approximately 6 years old at the time. The beast just came out of the water and attacked. My mother had to beat it off me.

Did you not see the post above where someone described one of these beasts attacking a buggy?

These "wild creatures" are vicious and a danger and maybe it's others creatures who need protection from them. They should be kept fenced in.

pawdee

Just swan of those things I suppose.

antix80

pawdee wrote: »

Just swan of those things I suppose.

Mod, please lock this thread. No one will top this

Nikki Sixx

Hope they buy a new dog. It’s the best way to get over the old one.

Budawanny

dodderangler wrote: »

That’s rubbish to say. I was attacked by one while feeding other ducks. No cygnets around. They’re bad tempered no matter what

nonsense. I have walked by thousands of swans and never been attacked. QED by your logic

dodderangler

pawdee wrote: »

Just swan of those things I suppose.

You’re only having the quack now

machaseh

Swans and geese are very aggressive and territorial, letting a dog swim in a swan pond is quite dumb.

They will usually hiss before they start to attack, but yeah if your dog is in the middle of the pond then it's too late.

InTheShadows

evolving_doors wrote: »

I was in bushy park a few months ago and saw a warden (not too sure if it was park or dog) stopping people who had no leads and warning them.

Yeah same guy up at Deer Park every morning and evening same times telling owners to put their dogs on lease.

Plumbthedepths

dodderangler wrote:

That’s rubbish to say. I was attacked by one while feeding other ducks. No cygnets around. They’re bad tempered no matter what

Just because you couldn't see a cygnet doesn't mean there wasn't one, btw I hope you weren't feeding the ducks bread.

Plumbthedepths

AulWan wrote:

Did you not see the post above where someone described one of these beasts attacking a buggy?

I did, you seemed to have ignored the part where they said the buggy was too close.

hullaballoo

All dogs' humans should know that swans hate dogs. And yeah, they'll go well out of their way to have a go at a dog even if the dog's human doesn't see the dog as threatening the swan. I suppose it's not the kind of thing that's beaten into you in school but it should be made a matter of broad public knowledge to stop this kind of thing happening because it does happen quite a lot.

I can't remember exactly when I learned about dogs and swans, or just swans (and geese) on their own but I've a very healthy wariness of them both so I must have been young when taught about them.

They are vicious and capable of breaking an arm with their beaks, never mind their wings. They do so when they perceive a threat and they are not very smart so that can mean minding your own business a hundred meters away.

My last encounter with a swan was when I had my then 1 and 3 year old kids in Coosan Point in Athlone to feed the ducks. The 1 year old was mad about ducks and in her element. Ducks everywhere!

I was momentarily focusing on the 3 year old who was inundated with ducks, just to make sure they didn't go for him. I was holding the 1 year old's hand but when I turned around, there, out of absolutely nowhere, was a big swan mid-lunge going for the 1 year old. I don't think I've ever moved as quickly but I managed to whisk her up and avoid having the arm taken off her. Until that point, I hadn't even been aware there were swans in the area and I didn't see any others afterwards.

colm_mcm

InTheShadows wrote: »

Yeah same guy up at Deer Park every morning and evening same times telling owners to put their dogs on lease.

At least you could stop the payments if the dog dies. Better than paying up front.

RoyalCelt

I've always had respect for swans. I've heard stories where they could break a man's arm with a slap of their wing. I'd never let my dog lose walking near them.

uck51js9zml2yt

Graces7 wrote: »

far, far too high a price to pay for a mistake, for both man and dog. we all make mistakes. if we all got what we " deserve"?

Other alternative is cage or kill the cause of the owners distress.!!

rachaelworld

I just hope that parents get the message now that wild animals are wild animals and therefore dangerous and so stop letting their small humans (and furkids) near them

tk123

rachaelworld wrote: »

I just hope that parents get the message now that wild animals are wild animals and therefore dangerous and so stop letting their small humans (and furkids) near them

I wonder where the people who let dog/kids near them or worse sit watching while they throw stones are from :mad:- do they know that swans will attack like? My experience in our park anyways with the kids and some dog owners is that they're not locals ... maybe it's just me being a Dubliner - we're used to the sea/river/canals around us and the wildlife in them? Last year there was 3 kids firing stones at the cob who was injured Mammy and Daddy watching from the swings in the playground - my friend tore strips off both the kids and parents then the kids were giving us the finger but at least the poor swan was left alone. The locals are quite protective of them at this stage.

rachaelworld

What do you mean by locals? And what does it matter where they are from? My experience with both the swans on the canal and the deer in Phoenix Park is that it is everyone and anyone, and I have been watching this get worse for the last few decades. The point is that the message needs to be broadcast more effectively but people see other people feeding them and assume that means they are safe and it is allowed to do it. Hopefully this news story will help to counter that

Irish Stones

Nikki Sixx wrote: »

Hope they buy a new dog. It’s the best way to get over the old one.

I hope they won't buy a new dog, but they will save a dog from a shelter.
In my humble opinion, animals shouldn't be bought.

tk123

rachaelworld wrote: »

What do you mean by locals? And what does it matter where they are from? My experience with both the swans on the canal and the deer in Phoenix Park is that it is everyone and anyone, and I have been watching this get worse for the last few decades. The point is that the message needs to be broadcast more effectively but people see other people feeding them and assume that means they are safe and it is allowed to do it. Hopefully this news story will help to counter that

By locals I mean people who live beside the local park, walk there every day and know how the swans will react as opposed to blow ins who visit the park a few days a year.. I don't care where they're from but I've definitely seen a pattern where people clearly don't have a clue that swans can come up and attack them if they're hanging down trying to take selfies with them or lowering their kids down for a photo... so I wonder if they've encountered swans before wherever they're from..

Always Tired

A dog doesn't need to be even near cygnets or in the middle of a pond for a swan to attack, or even off leash, they are simply very aggressive to dogs, even small ones.

Was walking my dog with a neighbour and her dog and her wee Jack Russell was on leash and simply standing at the water's edge and a swan made a beeline for him. It only barely stopped when my dog who was larger and off leash came running back down the path from where he was and barked at the swan, and while he stopped his attack he wasn't backing off, still hissing away.

While I admire their beauty, and to a certain extent their bravery as they seem to be absolutely fearless, they really could do with some anger management classes.

tk123

Always Tired wrote: »

A dog doesn't need to be even near cygnets or in the middle of a pond for a swan to attack, or even off leash, they are simply very aggressive to dogs, even small ones.

Was walking my dog with a neighbour and her dog and her wee Jack Russell was on leash and simply standing at the water's edge and a swan made a beeline for him. It only barely stopped when my dog who was larger and off leash came running back down the path from where he was and barked at the swan, and while he stopped his attack he wasn't backing off, still hissing away.

While I admire their beauty, and to a certain extent their bravery as they seem to be absolutely fearless, they really could do with some anger management classes.

Our friend was attacked by them on his bike more than once! - one of the times he said remembers the swan coming at him and next he was on the ground and people were helping him up because he was knocked unconscious!! By chance there was people passing at the time and they used his bike to block the swan and move it away

boombang

I heard from a person that was in the park before and during the incident that the dog was not only not on the lead, but was running all over the park and the owner was not exterting any effective control. Little sympathy for the owner. Annoyed that the park will be covered with signs for warning such dopes.

Knine

Irish Stones wrote: »

I hope they won't buy a new dog, but they will save a dog from a shelter.
In my humble opinion, animals shouldn't be bought.

Ah give over would you!

Swans can be very nasty. I had one attack my 6 month old puppy while he was on the lead! No cygnets around either, luckily my dog fended off the swan & it went running back into the water minus some tail feathers.

They are a beautiful bird but I stay well clear of them with dogs & kids.

Irish Stones

Knine wrote: »

Ah give over would you!

Swans can be very nasty. I had one attack my 6 month old puppy while he was on the lead! No cygnets around either, luckily my dog fended off the swan & it went running back into the water minus some tail feathers.

They are a beautiful bird but I stay well clear of them with dogs & kids.

What does the fact that swans are dangerous to small (and large) creatures have to do with my opinion?

AulWan

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

I did, you seemed to have ignored the part where they said the buggy was too close.

The buggy was at the side of the pond. Not in it!

I was on a footpath when I was attacked- it came out of the water and attacked.. Another poster posted about being attacked while feeding the ducks.

These beasts are vicious and attack unprovoked. They should be kept penned in.

No fear then of anyone else or any other innocent animal getting hurt because they got "too close".

If they weren't birds, there is no question they'd be kept penned in and muzzled.

CelticRambler

AulWan wrote: »

If they weren't birds, there is no question they'd be kept penned in and muzzled.

Like the dog? :P

StupidLikeAFox

Why isn't that breed of swan banned yet??

Knine

Irish Stones wrote: »

What does the fact that swans are dangerous to small (and large) creatures have to do with my opinion?

My answer would take the thread way off topic.

mrcheez

antix80 wrote: »

I think dogs should be kept on leashes in public.

They are supposed to be, unless I'm mistaken?

Part of the reason why I'm flabbergasted seeing people walking dogs beside bike lanes without a leash on their pet.

razorblunt

boombang wrote: »

I heard from a person that was in the park before and during the incident that the dog was not only not on the lead, but was running all over the park and the owner was not exterting any effective control. Little sympathy for the owner. Annoyed that the park will be covered with signs for warning such dopes.

That person should have read the article then, it's already been stated that it was during a period when dogs are allowed off lead.