The calf that was mown down

Let’s hope it does result in protocols, farmers/vets etc on a list to help police in these occasions. I’m surprised it is t in place and information says police tried farmers and vets but couldn’t get help

One NFU official said the police ‘probably’ did the right thing. Other farmers and NFU members have criticised the action the police took. Another view from the NFU is that there should be protocols in place for the Police dealing with livestock (horrible expression) with a list of farmers and others who could be contacted in the event of an incident.

It’s right that the police are investigating the officer involved and it’s good that this has opened up discussions and could possibly lead to better practices in the future.

So upsetting.

Update: A animal sanctuary in Ashford Kent, have offered to take Beau Lucy and look after her for the rest of her life.

That’s an offensive post DrWatson, as I’m sure you intended it to be

And if it had injured someone or caused an accident you lot would have been calling the police. The farming federation have said what a dangerous situation it was and the police acted in the best interests of safety. It is a cow, not a kitten.

I was horrified. I remember when a number of calves managed to escape from a field one night into the road when I was young. My father and a friend managed to corral them and got them back into the field. Yes, it was hard work but they didn't hurt them! And no police were involved.

For GSM and others, sadly, the Police contain a subset of personnel for whom commonsense and brainpower are not willing partners. They also, sadly, have a subset of racist and sexist mongrels, which their leadership are struggling to get sorted out. The Fire Service is apparently just as bad!

SheepyIzzy thank you for your informative post.

There are many Gnetters who have police in their families and it's upsetting to hear things like cruel, gung ho, should be dismissed when the police are doing the best they can in the circumstances.

The police on the ground at an incident like this will be following orders from senior officers.

I will admit to the "armchair critics"comment as I found some of the vitriol being aimed at the police before anyone had the full story unacceptable.
There are many Gnetters who have police in their families and it's upsetting to hear things like cruel, gung ho, should be dismissed when the police are doing the best they can in the circumstances.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Good post Struggling

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.