Pigeon found dangling from fishing line on bridge rescued

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A pigeon was rescued after being found dangling from a fishing line at the bottom of a bridge in England.

The RSPCA said a member of the public spotted the pigeon hanging by its wing on Tuesday and contacted the rescue organization for assistance.

"The bird was hanging from his right wing -- we don't know how long he'd been like that for, but he was clearly distressed," Animal Collection Officer Grace Mead said. "With the help of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, we managed to bring the pigeon to safety using a net on a long pole. Sadly his right wing was badly bruised but he was lucky, as fishing litter can be lethal to wildlife."

Mead added that fishing wire can be extremely deadly to birds and other wildlife, but officers were able to attend to the pigeon quickly enough and he's expected to make a recovery.

"We're really grateful to the person who contacted us about him, as otherwise he could have died a slow death while suspended upside down," she said.

The RSPCA issued a reminder to residents to properly dispose of their fishing line, be mindful of surroundings such as trees, not leave their bait box unattended and dispose of any litter in the area.

"These incidents are frustrating as they could so often be easily avoided by fishing litter being correctly disposed of in the first place," Mead said. "We urge people to think twice and please dispose of them correctly, as hooks, lines and weights can cause horrific injuries to wildlife. With a little more thought and care, an animal's life could be saved."