'Keep your dogs on leads' plea after two popular ducks killed in attacks

Volunteers at Holmer Lake in Telford are pleading with the public to keep their dogs on leads to prevent any further deaths.

The pair of Muscovy ducks were called Ronnie and Reggie, named after the notorious Kray twins. They died after being badly injured by dogs.

Ronnie was hurt to such an extent that he was made an "easy target" for a fox which killed him, while Reggie had to be put to sleep after a dog broke his wing.

One of the volunteers at the lake posted on Facebook: "Ronnie and Reggie. The two famous Muscovy ducks that controlled the waterfowl on Holmer lake.

"Unfortunately both are no longer alive due to dog attacks. Ronnie, the closest, was badly hurt by a dog, which made him an easy target for the fox.

"Reggie was put to sleep after a dog broke his wing and something else I couldn't repeat.

"If you want to walk your dogs around the lake, please keep them under control as per the law states in "Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981'.

"And as the signs around the lake say. Keeps dogs on a lead."

Ronnie was killed in spring 2021, and Reggie in January 2022. However, volunteers put out the urgent appeal as a result of recent sightings of dogs not being walked with leads.

A volunteer at the lake added: "Yesterday I had to chase off one dog that was loose and the owner just shrugged his shoulders when I told him to leash the dog and today I watched a dog walk across the dam."

Responses to the Facebook post included "Keep your bl**dy dogs on a lead when round the pool!.. you are making all us dog owners look bad!" and "Irresponsible dog owners think they have a god given right no respect for anything or anyone".

Another said: "[They were] So beautiful, can’t believe people let this sort of thing happen, why do dogs have to be off a lead makes me so angry".

Holmer Lake has been classified as a Local Nature Reserve since September 2022, and is subject to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.