AN ANIMAL charity has received dozens of calls from members of the public about seemingly drunk seagulls.
The World Cup combined with the hot weather is as good a reason as any to have a beer, but not if you’re a bird.
The RSPCA has had reports from Devon, Cornwall and Somerset in the south-east of England about seagulls vomiting and being unable to walk in straight lines.
The charity theorises that the birds are scavenging alcohol from a local brewery.
While it may sound humorous, some of the birds have died, with the charity comparing the animals’ alcohol intake to a human drinking excessively.
Seagulls are getting drunk off the brewing waste in #Devon and #Somerset!
Too drunk to fly and even threw up on the firefighters that rescued them
#sealife #seagulls #seagull #birds #birdsoftwitter pic.twitter.com/mEQAa34q3T— sting rae ⚓️⚓️⚓️ (@stingrae1985) 6 July 2018
RSPCA Inspector Jo Daniel said: “At first, the birds look like they have botulism (an illness caused by bacteria) but then, after vomiting, most seem to recover.
“The birds absolutely stink of alcohol when we collect them, so now our vans smell like pubs.”
RSPCA vet David Couper, who has treated a number of the birds at a wildlife centre in Somerset, added: “We’ve had birds coming in from across Devon and even a few from Bridport and Lyme Regis, in Dorset.
“Sadly, a few of the birds have died, but most of them have made good recoveries and have been released after a few days in our care.”
