A dog attack that resulted in the death of a swan near a retention basin in the Carnegie Center in mid-January has generated a request by West Windsor Township’s animal control officer, Bettina Roed, that property owner Boston Properties stop buying swans for beautification purposes here. On January 31 Micky Landis, a regional manager for Boston Properties, said the company would comply.
“Although we have no formal request from West Windsor on this topic, we have decided not to purchase any more swans,” Landis said.
The incident that triggered the request occurred around January 15. Paw prints near the body led Roed to conclude that a loose dog had attacked and killed the swan. Roed also speculated that the male died defending its mate.
Both swans had been altered after birth to keep them from flying. As a result, the animals could not outrun the dog. The female, however, escaped unharmed and will be returned to the out-of-state breeder when the weather clears, Roed said. Swans are not native to New Jersey.
Boston Properties has over the years purchased a few sets of swans as a beautification measure. Roed, however, has never been a fan of the practice, citing the death of a swan in 2008, when one was hit by a car on Route 1.
“I just don’t feel it’s fair to get other swans just for the enjoyment of people if they can’t keep the swans safe,” she said.
