The calf that was mown down

Anniebach

The calf was hit to the ground, why ram it again ?

...Because it got up again.

Sparklefizz

Anniebach

The calf was hit to the ground, why ram it again ?

...Because it got up again.

Taking that to its ultimate logic you would continue to ram it until it died.

The police aren't trained in lassoing. This isn't the wild west. I also don't believe there were 20 officers there.

The media have as usual caused an outrage amongst the armchair critics.

Apparently 8 month old heifers weigh an average of 200KG, just imagine that slamming into you, it could cause life threatening injuries.
"Your overriding priority is to save life, which includes your own, that of the victim and members of the public." Police operating instructions.

Everyone I know that works with cattle have been injured at one time or another; usually broken legs. I’ve been chased into the corner of a field by bullocks when I didn’t know they were in a field ( it was L shaped). DH saw a cow run down a fox in its field one day. My friend was nearly gored to death by a Highland cow that she’d just bought. I’m very very wary of them; wouldn’t go near one unless there was a fence between us!The only time I will walk by them is in the winter when they roam the dunes. Most animals are calmer in winter, they aren’t in an enclosed area and I know there are no calves around. There has been a sign put up in a local country park about the deer breeding season warning people not that the deer are dangerous when there are fawns around.

foxie48

Apparently 8 month old heifers weigh an average of 200KG, just imagine that slamming into you, it could cause life threatening injuries.
"Your overriding priority is to save life, which includes your own, that of the victim and members of the public." Police operating instructions.

Thanks foxie48

Well done! I felt awful for that poor calf. Some people just do not have any sense at all!

It's not as simple as firing a tranquilliser dart. Animals on the run and scared have high levels of insulin in their system so tranquillisers don't work.
In 2020 my son and I went to Whipsnade Zoo and saw some delightful young bears playing in their pool. Some time later they escaped and got into the wolverines enclosure, killing at least one. They were shot dead because tranquillisers would not have worked. Very sad, and I cried for ages over it.

Sorry, adrenaline, not insulin!

I was shocked at first but then read a report which said the police had tried to find the farmer /owner and could not and they had tried to get a vet to dart the animal to sedate it but none were available. The police are not trained in how to dart an animal and so it was decided to stop it in the way we have seen. The farmer has now said that the animal is fine and it was the right thing to do. What would we all be saying if the animal had trampled a child or injured a person? The animal had been on the run for quite a few hours by all accounts and they had been unable to stop it any other way.

Surely rural police have training in managing large animals like horses and cattle and sheep? Vehicles and noise can scare them and worsen the situation by causing a terrified animal to panic, anyone who is not a total idiot.knows that. If they don't have training and processes in place then it's a terrible failure on behalf of basic rural police training.

While out walking I won't go through a field with cows or calves in it. Think of the outcry if someone had been seriously injured.

I think that some of the messages I've read here are just so idiotic and naive. What would you all be saying if this calf (a quite large beast) had been left to continue to run amok? If it had tun into an elderly person or a child and caused serious injury or, unthinkable, death, you same people would be screeching about the police not doing anything to prevent it. You need to grow up and join the real world, not the pink fluffy cloud you seem to live on.

The policeman needed to do something. I am sure he found it distressing but what if a child had been hurt or killed by the calf. In addition, if you are a meat eater maybe you should look at the way cows are treated in both the meat and dairy industry. Far more distressing and on a grand scale than this poor calf.

The Police had tried to contact a vet but found that there was none available at the time. Calling the animal a 'calf' arouses the kinds of responses always called up by reference to young animals. Biologically speaking, it could be called a 'calf' but this was not a cute, recently-born creature and could have caused a serious accident. The farmer who owned it has supported the officer's action as has an official of the NFU. They are not likely to be sentimental about animals.

Awful for the poor creature and sad that an alternative means of securing the animal could not be found. However I assume that all who are up in arms about this do not eat meat. Just remember this poor creatures experience when you are tucking into your roast beef! How do you think it ended up on your plate?
As for dismissing the police officer, in my humble opinion, that is ludicrous. Most police officers do a very difficult job well, they risk their own safety to protect the public.

Good post Struggling

Police have more than enough to cope with and talk of dismissing him ridiculous. You dont know all the circumstances, if your not used to them they can very dangerous and do a lot of damage as they panic.

A recent post had replies to say that GNs were sometimes not happy to post their views which resulted in name calling. And here again we have "idiotic" "naive" "need to grow up" "armchair critics".
Surely we can state our views which posters can disagree with without resorting to such disparaging remarks. It closes discussions down.

And if you excluded armchair critics then GN would close down. We aren't all farmers, vets or police. I learn a lot here, but maybe will resort to Google instead.

Cows can and do kill people. It was an immediate danger to the public and they had tried for hours to stop it. I wonder how many people clutching pearls actually eat beef? Cows have to be killed for that you know, in horrible abattoirs with a bolt through the head and worse for Halal. I am a compassionate vegetarian but I can see this wasn’t a malevolent act it was to protect people and property. As for a vet with a tranquiliser, even if they had managed to get close enough, chances are it would have been even more dangerous between the dart and it taking effect. If you eat beef and are shocked by this go visit an abattoir. Then you will realise you’re a massive hypocrite.

Buttonjugs

Cows can and do kill people. It was an immediate danger to the public and they had tried for hours to stop it. I wonder how many people clutching pearls actually eat beef? Cows have to be killed for that you know, in horrible abattoirs with a bolt through the head and worse for Halal. I am a compassionate vegetarian but I can see this wasn’t a malevolent act it was to protect people and property. As for a vet with a tranquiliser, even if they had managed to get close enough, chances are it would have been even more dangerous between the dart and it taking effect. If you eat beef and are shocked by this go visit an abattoir. Then you will realise you’re a massive hypocrite.

This.

I've read all the comments above and to be honest, ramming didn't look nice, but if the police had got a sharp shooter and shot it, there would have been a huge uproar!

MY cattle were friendly, halter trained etc, but if they'd been spooked, bolted for town, me with a bucket of nuts ain't going to stop them. How many of you have seen cattle RUNNING down the road? I'm On a smallholding, have been all my life, we've moved cattle at a slow leisurely trot, gates shut, 2 with sticks to turn, 2 with sticks behind. My neighbour has taken his further, not so friendly, many gates shut, more men on the road and still have 1 bloody beast, deciding, "oh look, that garden looks nice" before jumping the shut gate and all the others following THROUGH the shut gate, (yes, comical at first but not when you see the mess after wards!) Quick chat/cheque, all is fine, but that's our residential road, not main road.

I've had an old pony escape, he only ever walked.......something spooked him and he ran to town and straight into traffic. Fortunately this was the late 1980's and someone managed to grab him and walk him slowly all the way home. Id never seen him trot in his life, so he had a good run that day!

This animal would have been full of andrenline and the farmer is LUCKY it wasn't shot. I feel sorry for the police driver, it had to be stopped.

Yes, i eat beef, my own.

A farmer actually agreed with the actions taken- thought it was the correct thing to- can be difficult animals to manage - it would have been impossible to drag a sizeable animal by a rope round its neck- it was scared in unfamiliar circumstances.

The video looked quite violent! But apparently injury was minor. The Farmers Union support the police action. Shooting it would have been an alternative.

It would have been so much easier if the cow HAD actually injured someone, wouldn't it? Think about that.

HelterSkelter1

A recent post had replies to say that GNs were sometimes not happy to post their views which resulted in name calling. And here again we have "idiotic" "naive" "need to grow up" "armchair critics".
Surely we can state our views which posters can disagree with without resorting to such disparaging remarks. It closes discussions down.

And if you excluded armchair critics then GN would close down. We aren't all farmers, vets or police. I learn a lot here, but maybe will resort to Google instead.

A recent post had replies to say that GNs were sometimes not happy to post their views which resulted in name calling. And here again we have "idiotic" "naive" "need to grow up" "armchair critics".

I thought similarly when I read that post.

... you same people would be screeching about the police not doing anything to prevent it. You need to grow up and join the real world, not the pink fluffy cloud you seem to live on.

If you want to make a point that others will consider seriously, the last thing you should do is insult them while you do it! Even if the blanket "you" is not aimed specifically at any one individual.

And I think telling people to "grow up" passed its zenith as a verbal barb with any impact years ago!

I agree with the more mature posters who realise that, ultimately, the police were left with few options other than to do what they did.