Man filmed dragging gull with rope
Police are investigating reports of a man seen dragging a gull across a road in Blackpool on a what appeared to be a dog lead.
The incident took place on Monday 14 April, with an image and video footage being circulated on social media. Brambles Wildlife Rescue service, which covers Blackpool, described the incident as "vile" and said some of the comments made online were moronic and from "idiots with cotton wool for brains".
A man was filmed dragging a European Herring Gull with a rope or dog lead in Blackpool (Chris Teague).
Police said they were called at 8 pm on Monday to reports of a man "pulling a live seagull along the pavement with a rope around its neck". The man, in his 50s, was arrested for being drunk and disorderly "and though subsequently de-arrested", the matter was still being investigated, a spokesperson said. "The bird was taken by a member of the public to a local vet where they decided it sadly had to be put down."
The RSPCA said gulls, like all wild birds, were protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A spokesperson said: "It is totally inappropriate and unacceptable to treat any wild animal in this way. Putting a gull on a leash would be extremely stressful for the bird as it would prevent it from being able to engage in its natural behaviour and could lead to injury or even death."
