2023 Swan Roundup Will Take Place October 10
LAKELAND, FL (September 20, 2023) | The City of Lakeland Parks Division will be on Lake Morton at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 for the 43rdAnnual Swan Roundup. Parks & Recreation employees will be carefully gathering the swans to get them ready for their annual veterinary check-up. The swans will be confined in large holding pens on the south side of the lake for their annual wellness examinations with My Pet’s Animal Hospital that will start the morning of October 11th at 8:00 a.m. The Annual Swan Round-Up allows the City’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts Department to closely monitor the health and vitality of Lakeland’s swan population.
The original swans on Lake Morton were donated by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1957. As Lakeland’s swan flock grew, it became paramount to give the regal birds an annual health check, so the Swan Roundup began in 1980 and has continued every year since then. The swans were first cared for by veterinarian (emeritus) and original "Swanvet" W.G. Gardner, Dr. Patricia Mattson oversaw the birds for several years and now My Pet’s Animal Hospital contributes their expertise in caring for Lakeland’s swan flock.
My Pet’s Animal Hospital is located at 2225 Drane Field Road in Lakeland. The Lakeland facility has a state-of-the-art animal hospital with multiple examination rooms and separate treatment and surgery areas, including laser surgery. There are over 40 kennels for boarding pets along with three hospital wards. My Pet’s Animal Hospital is a full-service, AAHA accredited facility. The American Animal Hospital Association provides accreditation only to hospitals that meet their strict standards.
Bob Donahay, Director of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts said, “The Lake Morton swans are a community icon and families have been interacting with the birds for decades. It is very important to us to make sure our Lakeland flock is doing well so we schedule the Swan Roundup each year with the primary purpose to check on the health of our birds.” He added, “It costs about $10,000 per year to feed and care for Lakeland’s domestic swans. If it wasn’t for the generous support from My Pet’s Animal Hospital, that cost would be much more because they offer their services at no charge. We really appreciate the team at My Pet’s Animal Hospital donating their time and equipment to help care for our flock. We could not do it without their continued support.”
The City of Lakeland was incorporated January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population over 100,000 Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please visit www.lakelandgov.net. Citizens are also invited to follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, and Nextdoor. Citizens can find the City of Lakeland on these social media platforms by searching lakelandgov.
Contact
Kevin Cook
Director of Communications
City of Lakeland
863.834.6264
Kevin.Cook@LakelandGov.net
About Lakeland
The City of Lakeland was incorporated in January 1885 and has grown to become one of the largest inland communities in Florida. With a current population of over 100,000 Lakeland continues to grow. It has been designated a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area by the US Census Bureau for over 30 years. With tourist attractions and gulf beaches only an hour away, Lakeland continues to capitalize on its ideal central Florida location along the I-4 corridor. The City owns and operates Lakeland Electric, the third largest publicly owned utility in Florida and it was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 115 years ago.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please visit www.lakelandgov.net. Citizens are also invited to follow the City on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Vimeo, Snapchat and Nextdoor. Citizens can find the City of Lakeland on these social media platforms by searching lakelandgov.
For additional information about the City of Lakeland, please explore LakelandGov.net.
Citizens are also invited to follow the City on social media.