A video captured a man dragging a swan through a park by its neck, prompting bystanders to intervene and urge him to release the bird.
Brandon Ryzy, 21, recorded the incident near Caerphilly Castle, describing it as “sickening,” and shared the footage on social media.
Reflecting on the event that took place around 4:20 PM GMT on Sunday, he expressed relief at being present to halt the man’s actions.
Gwent Police confirmed they scoured the vicinity and are actively attempting to locate the individual involved.
“I was just walking home from doing some shopping,” said student Brandon, “when I spotted him in the corner of my eye.
“I’m guessing he was under the influence.”
When questioned, he alleged the swan had assaulted his children.
“But there were no children around.”
“I did chase after him and made sure he put the swan down,” said Brandon. “I had to be very aggressive to get him to stop.
He described the bird flapping before being forcefully dropped onto the ground.
“I watched the man walk off and stayed with the bird to see if it could get itself back to the moat.”
He observed that the feathers around the bird’s neck were disheveled from being gripped, and it appeared to be in a state of shock. Additionally, he noted the swan seemed delicate and moved slowly.
He mentioned that individuals at a nearby pub witnessed the incident as well, and one of them alerted the police.
Caerphilly Bird Rescue expressed their dismay about the video in a comment, stating it deeply troubled them.
Authorities reported that the individual who notified them mentioned the swan returned “back into the water.”
Detectives are seeking assistance in locating the man involved.
