'Good prognosis' for injured swan taken to Tufts; Likely traffic victim also had pellets from old gunshot wound.

• Author: Thompson, Elaine
• Position: Local

Byline: Elaine Thompson

SHREWSBURY -- An injured swan that was taken to the Cummings School for Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton has a good prognosis.

Leona Pease, Shrewsbury animal control officer, took the bird to the wildlife hospital, after it was found on Faith Road near Lake Quinsigamond Thursday.

Ms. Pease said the swan was not aggressive or hissing when she picked it up, a sign that the bird was debilitated.

The only visible injury Ms. Pease saw was a bloody cut on the head near the beak.

X-rays at Tufts detected pellets in the swan's neck. But Rushmie Nofsinger, a spokeswoman at the Grafton campus, said the pellets in the neck weren't a fresh wound and were not the cause of the swan's weakened state.

"The pellets found in the X-ray are incidental to the swan's behavior when it was picked up. We don't know exactly why it was acting disoriented, but generally, adult swans behave that way if they have interacted with a vehicle in some way,'' said Mrs. Nofsinger.

"The adult swan has a good prognosis and, weather dependent, the aim is to release it in the next few days,'' she continued.

"Clinic staff have been feeding the swan and providing supportive care and it has been regaining strength since it was brought in.''

She said that unfortunately, the wildlife hospital sees all kinds of species with embedded pellets.

Ms. Pease said somebody probably shot the swan with a pellet gun as target practice.

Swans are protected by state law and can not be hunted, according to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

A fine of $50 to $100 can be imposed.

Ms. Pease said that in the past few years...