Gull Badly Injured By Roof Netting In Cardiff

An RSPCA officer has rescued an injured gull from netting on a Cardiff roof. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The gull was found on top of flat roof of a building at Wood Street. He had managed to get tangled into some netting on the roof. He was first spotted on Tuesday (5 April). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

RSPCA animal collection officer (ACO) Gary Lucas, who rescued the trapped bird, said: “This poor gull had probably been there all night and looked exhausted. His neck, head, wings and body were all entangled. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The netting was damaged and not in good repair in parts. I managed to cut him from the netting, but he was badly injured.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sadly the gull was put to sleep due to his injuries to prevent further suffering. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

ACO Lucas said: “Gulls and other wild birds often nest on top of houses and shops. Whilst it is completely understandable that property owners will seek to protect their premises we would ask that they think seriously about the measures they adopt. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Netting can trap wild birds, causing them great distress and so compounding the original problem. It is also important for the property owners ensure that the netting is installed and maintained properly.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We recommend that anyone with netting installed on their property sets up a system to check regularly for trapped birds and to ensure any netting is in good repair. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you find an animal in distress, please call us on 0300 1234 999. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As a charity we rely on public donations to exist. To assist our inspectors and officers in carrying out their vital work please text HELP to 78866 to give £3 (texts cost £3 + one standard network rate message). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you have seen birds trapped in netting and dying as a result, especially on a regular basis, we would be grateful if you could please forward the following information to wildlife@rspca.org.uk :
– Address where netting is located (include postcode where possible).
– Owner of property or company (if known) and address if different to above.
– Date(s) of incident.
We will then contact the property owner about resolving the problem. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​