Swan shot with arrow
Mission, KS (US)Incident Date: Monday, Oct 9, 2006
County: Johnson
Disposition: Open
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
A 50-pound swan, nicknamed Cupid after being injured by an arrow, was awake and moving after surgery at Olathe Animal Hospital.
The 1½-hour operation appeared to go well, but rescuers gave a cautious prognosis.
"He's a strong bird, but you never know," said Sheryl Saunders, animal care coordinator for Operation Wildlife in Linwood, Kan., which is caring for the swan.
Although the swan was dubbed Cupid by those who discovered its injuries a week ago in Overland Park, Operation Wildlife discourages giving names to wild animals to dissuade people from turning them into pets.
On Oct 16, the adult bird was swaddled in blankets to protect its head and body as it sometimes thrashed while emerging from anesthesia. Recovery will depend on how well it responds to care and being in a padded kennel during its four- to six-week recuperation.
Emotional hurdles also exist.
The swan was described as depressed last week, and swans, which mate for life, can lose the will to survive if displaced from their partners. "There's a lot he has to go through to make it to the wild," Saunders said.
The swan was discovered near 121st Street and Metcalf Avenue with a 2- to 3-foot arrow piercing its right wing. Rescuers later discovered the projectile had traveled through its body, with the tip exiting the left wing.
"I wanted to jump in the lake and pull it out myself," said Patty Hecht, who works at nearby Media Corp., whose employees nicknamed the bird.
Hecht called animal-control officers Oct. 9, but the bird was not coaxed to shore until two days later. Rescuers pulled the arrow out, an act likely meant to aid the bird but which could have worsened his condition, Saunders said.
The bird was diagnosed with a fractured right humerus, the equivalent of a human upper arm bone. Veterinarian Mark Romain volunteered to perform orthopedic surgery.
The public can visit the swan at Operation Wildlife's open house from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday at 23375 Guthrie Road in Linwood. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children. Call 1-(785) 542-3625. References
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