Dog walkers are being warned against letting their pets off the lead after two cygnets were killed at the Inverness Campus.
The incident occurred on Sunday when two recently hatched swan cygnets were attacked.
The two injured animals were discovered by a passerby who called the SSPCA, who attended the scene.
Inverness Campus has a large pond, home to two swans for several years, with several cygnets being born there.
The most recent hatching occurred three weeks ago with eight babies in total.
However, the attack left one dead and another bleeding badly. The SSPCA took the bird to the vet but sadly it was put down due to its injuries.
It is understood that the vet pointed to a dog attack as the likely cause of the bird’s injuries.
‘Be aware of wildlife and put their dogs on the lead’
Animal rescue officer Natalie Munro said: “We were alerted to an incident at Inverness Campus where two cygnets had been attacked by a dog on May 28.
“Unfortunately, one of the cygnets was killed in the attack and the other sustained such severe injuries to their leg that they had to be put to sleep to prevent further suffering.
“At this time of year, many wild birds and animals are caring for young. We would ask all dog owners to be aware of wildlife and put their dogs on the lead if they encounter any wild animals or birds while out walking.
“If anyone comes across a wild animal in distress they should call our animal helpline on 03000 999 999.”
A Highland and Islands Enterprise spokeswoman, who own the Inverness Campus, said: “Everyone who works and studies on the Campus loves seeing the swans and we’re terribly saddened by this incident.
“We want Inverness Campus to be both a welcoming public space for the whole community and also a safe haven for wildlife.
“The vast majority of dog owners are responsible, however, this incident highlights the absolute necessity, especially at this time of year, of keeping dogs under control on the Campus and we appeal to all dog owners to do so in future.”
Conversation