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'Extremely vile' man who killed seagull by dragging it with dog leash is NOT CHARGED despite arrest

Police said they're still looking into the event after the man in his 50s was detained for being intoxicated and rowdy and later released

BLACKPOOL, LANCASHIRE: A man has been slammed as "extremely vile" for dragging a seagull by its neck with a dog leash; the bird was rescued by onlookers but had to be put down at the vets. On Monday night, reports said the man, who has not been identified, was seen pulling a live seagull along the sidewalk with a rope around its neck. According to Lancashire Police, the bird "was taken by a member of the public to a local vet," where it "sadly had to be put down".

Police said they are still looking into the event after the man in his 50s was detained for being intoxicated and rowdy and later released without being charged. Many were outraged by the event in Blackpool, the video of which has now surfaced online.

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'Very poor ill state and neglected condition'

The police stated that although no arrests had been made in connection with claims of animal cruelty, the case was still being looked into. After being taken by a member of the public, a representative with Blackpool nonprofit Bramble Wildlife Rescues stated that the bird needed to be put to death because of its "very poor ill state and neglected condition," as reported by Mirror.

Video was 'upsetting to watch'

The organization claimed to have obtained an "upsetting to watch" video showing the man "dragging the gull down the street," comparing it to "almost walking a dog." The spokesperson stated, "At first, like many people, we thought it may have been a photoshopped image in the form of a prank, however, it quickly came to light that it was in fact very real."

Many found the video 'funny'

Although animal supporters slammed the incident, the charity noted that other people "found the video funny despite the gull's condition and stress." The RSPCA commented on the incident, saying, "It is totally inappropriate and unacceptable to treat any wild animal in this way. Putting a gull on a leash would be extremely stressful for the bird as it would prevent it from being able to engage in its natural behavior and could lead to injury or even death," as per reports.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 protects gulls, their chicks, and their nests, just like it does for all other wild birds. The act states, "This means it's illegal to intentionally kill, take or injure gulls, take or destroy their eggs, or damage or destroy any gull nests while they're in use or being built - unless you're acting under license."