Man Recounts Story of Finding Shot Swan

At first, Jim MacDougall thought the distressed swan swimming on the Peconic River near his kayak on Friday had a stick stuck in its feathers. It wasn't until he paddled closer that he realized what the stick actually was: an arrow, shot through the swan's body.

"I've been [kayaking] for years almost every day and I've never seen anything like this before," MacDougall, a Wading River resident, said.

The male swan of the Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays and is currently being treated there for its wounds. The arrow was successfully removed from the swan, which was able to stand on Monday and is eating on its own after being put on an IV fluids, painkillers and antibiotics regimen, according to a hospital technician at the center.

MacDougall said he saw the swan was in trouble and tried to corral it to shore near the Indian Island Golf Course, but the swan couldn't swim out of the water. 

"It was just bobbing back and forth trying to get on shore," he said.

After calling the park police, MacDougall was able to box the swan into a corner near the 105 bridge, and waited there for about 20 minutes for help to arrive. He placed another call to the Wildlife Rescue Center, but was told they were already on their way.

MacDougall said from what he could see, it appeared as if the bird was shot intentionally.

"It had to have been deliberate, it was a pretty level entry and exit point," he said. "I think it was someone being stupid and shooting a poor defenseless animal."

MacDougall visited the swan on Monday and said he was happy to see it was doing better, but he was "disgusted" by recent incidents of animal abuse, including a box turtle that was injured when a nail was hammered through its shell. 

"It's disturbing that people have been doing this sort of thing," he said. 

The Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced yesterday that they will offer a $1,000 reward for information about the shooter.