Public action and twist of fate allows Alfie to find a new home at Popcorn Park in Lacey, NJ

Ocean County residents were relieved to hear this year that a death-row swan was saved by local animal rehab center, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge. Alfie the swan, a name given to a male mute swan by Irene Almeida, was caught up in a kerfuffle of state bureaucracy and public outcry when he was reported to have acted overly aggressive towards lake visitors. Susan Russel, wildlife policy director for the Animal Protection League of NJ said that when friction arises between people and swans, it is the people that are the aggressors. Supporters of Alfie say that Alfie was provoked by jet ski riders who intentionally irritated the swan to get a rise out of him for social media. Department of Environmental Protection policy for aggressive animals is to either euthanize or relocate. However, New Jersey prohibits exotic animals such as swans from being relocated, leaving only the death-penalty for Alfie.

Supporters appealed to Mayor Ducey and the town council, who worked with state and federal environmental agencies to find a solution. Township officials proposed: that Alfie would be relocated to a local animal rehab facility, Popcorn Park. Though Popcorn Park was willing to take the swan, State policy on aggressive exotic animals stood in the way.  Mayor Ducey described the fact that Popcorn Park couldn’t accept Alfie because of State regulation as “crazy, but eventually, the swan was relocated to Popcorn Park. 

Alfie’s fate was sealed until one morning, staff at Popcorn Park received a call that a male mute swan had been entangled in a fishing line and was in need of rehabilitation. Supporters of Alfie were delighted to find that the swan entangled in the net was Alfie, and that he was saved from a far worse fate. 

Months later, Alfie is healthy and happy in his new home. He has a small pond that he can swim in and is fed a diet of waterfowl pellets and corn. Staff at the Park report that his aggressiveness has calmed, that he spreads his wings and flutters away when a caretaker enters the pen. Soon, he will be introduced to his new family: six other swans rescued by Popcorn Park. It appears that Alfie’s story concludes in less of a swan song and more of a happily ever after. 

Donations for Alfie care can be made to ahscares.org