Police are investigating reports of a man seen dragging a seagull across a road in Blackpool on a what appeared to be a dog lead.
The incident took place on Monday, with an image and video of it circulated on social media.
The 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”.
Police said they were called at 8pm 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.”
The 1981 legislation means it is illegal to intentionally kill, take or injure gulls, take or destroy their eggs, or damage or destroy any gull nests while in use or being built – unless acting under licence.
Captive gulls are also protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the RSPCA said, which means a bird’s keeper is required to meet welfare needs and avoid causing it unnecessary suffering.
