The calf that was mown down

pity help all of us if police like that man were ever armed. No good at all in a crisis

The calf is not safe yet, she could still die from stress. FGS she is just a baby. Her name is beau lucy

I wouldn’t like to try to calm a half grown heifer , they aren’t very cuddly !

David49

It wasn’t a calf it was about half grown and shown actively chasing pedestrians on video, what was needed was tranquilizer gun, whether one could be found quickly I doubt.
Cattle getting out of control happens on farms regularly, several farmers or workers are killed every year.

Probably a police taser gun would have incapacitated the animal but nobody thought of that.

What a ridiculous remark

Yes, herds of cows can be dangerous, David1949

However, this was a lone heifer and the policeman's actions were both deliberately cruel and stupid.

It must have run towards pedestrians because it was terrified.

There is usually a vet on duty somewhere in the area or a local farmer would have known what to do, calmed it down and caught it.

I'm glad he has been suspended.

David49

It wasn’t a calf it was about half grown and shown actively chasing pedestrians on video, what was needed was tranquilizer gun, whether one could be found quickly I doubt.
Cattle getting out of control happens on farms regularly, several farmers or workers are killed every year.

Probably a police taser gun would have incapacitated the animal but nobody thought of that.

Are you serious?

The calf is under 12 months old so is a calf

Honestly though what were the police supposed to do?
They had apparently spent several hours attempting to capture the animal, and I’m sure if it had been possible to lasso it, they would have done so.
Presumably they had also tried to contact a farmer or vet during those hours, whilst trying to ensure it didn’t cause a nasty road accident.

Of course nobody likes to think of a creature being deliberately rammed by a car, but after a number of hours, the police were running out of options weren’t they?

Their main priority was to ensure the safety of humans.

Another farmer agrees JenniferEccles (BBC News) he said their options were limited, the police had tried local vets and to contact the owners. He also said if anyone had been hurt by the cow it could have been serious.

But they hit it twice times with the car.. If all engines had been shut off I think the calf could have been led out. After hours of being chased it was obviously terrified..
surely common sense could have prevailed.. I think the policeman must have panicked. I hope he is given more training..

JenniferEccles

Honestly though what were the police supposed to do?
They had apparently spent several hours attempting to capture the animal, and I’m sure if it had been possible to lasso it, they would have done so.
Presumably they had also tried to contact a farmer or vet during those hours, whilst trying to ensure it didn’t cause a nasty road accident.

Of course nobody likes to think of a creature being deliberately rammed by a car, but after a number of hours, the police were running out of options weren’t they?

Their main priority was to ensure the safety of humans.

I agree. The police had been trying to capture the cow for hours. No vets had responded to their pleas for help and people were complaining that the cow was running at them. I saw a video of a man running away from the cow.
The police were running out of options. It's the usual damned if they do and damned if they don't.
If a child had been mown down by the cow and killed everyone would say the police should have done something.

Germanshepherdsmum

David49

It wasn’t a calf it was about half grown and shown actively chasing pedestrians on video, what was needed was tranquilizer gun, whether one could be found quickly I doubt.
Cattle getting out of control happens on farms regularly, several farmers or workers are killed every year.

Probably a police taser gun would have incapacitated the animal but nobody thought of that.

Are you serious?

Yes, just like a human that is out of control and dangerous, are you really saying an animals discomfort is more important than a humans injury or life.

Exactly, the police were certainly in a very difficult situation.
Like I said, their number one priority was to protect the public.

The comments on here would have been very different if a child had been killed by a car swerving to avoid the cow, a scenario which could very easily have happened had the police not taken the decisive action they did.

Whatever the circumstances (and cows can be lethally dangerous) I don't think it was necessary for Cleverly to call for a report. In former times it would be a matter for the officer's Sergeant or perhaps Inspector.

The horses that ran amok in central London a few weeks ago could potentially have done far more harm to pedestrians including children, but strangely, no one thought of ramming them with a car. I wonder why.

It was late at night when the cow was run over, the risk of a child being harmed was minimal.

I expect tasers to be employed intelligently when necessary David. This was not an occasion when an intelligent policeman, in possession of a taser, should have considered its deployment necessary.

nightowl

The horses that ran amok in central London a few weeks ago could potentially have done far more harm to pedestrians including children, but strangely, no one thought of ramming them with a car. I wonder why.

It was late at night when the cow was run over, the risk of a child being harmed was minimal.

Exactly. And how many polar bears, brown bears, moose etc do you hear of being run down by police cars in other countries?

The situation was so badly handled.

I’ve been horrified, couldn’t watch the video. I’d thought a vet.a police marksman/woman could have incapacitated the calf. I’ve just heard a sensible farmer supporting police action. I suspect the farmer might know more than I do.. I do find it horrific thiugh

I don't think the police are the best people for dealing with animals. I once caught a pony that was loose on the road and when the police arrived they seemed to have no experience of horses and treated the whole thing like a western. Fortunately the owner showed up quite quickly.

But why should the police have "experience of horses", Deedaa? It's not really within their remit.

Isn’t it the sort of thing that the RSPCA should have helped with?

According to bystanders interviewed there were 20 police officers there for one calf. Try getting one police officer for one burglary. Why didn't they ring a local farmer to come and help even if not his calf. Pay him what 20 police officers cost for an hour's work. Or the local vet.

I live not far from Staines/Feltham. You rarely see one police officer. Let alone 20 out and about! If I heard properly and it was true some of the 20 were crying. Can that really be true? They are going to find life in the police force hard going if so.
It was a shocking action and I am glad to hear that the animal is recovering.

I imagine it’s quite likely that other countries do have to run over dangerous animals like brown bears, polar bears and moose if they are a danger to the public but it wouldn’t exactly be top news over here, would it?!

The farmers union is calling for humane practice protocols to be introduced.

I can’t think why this hasn’t already been set up, but it is good to read.

The police have said that they recognise the large level of concern by the public, and will respond appropriately.

All they had to do was call out an emergency vet to handle it or tranquilise it. It was just a baby calf.

gentleshores

All they had to do was call out an emergency vet to handle it or tranquilise it. It was just a baby calf.

It wasn’t a baby calf it was probably about a year old, if it’s true that 20 police were there it had been charging blindly through whoever was trying to stop it. Someone was going to get hurt, normally with a stray animal you confine it until skilled help arrives they had been trying for 2 hours plus. It’s was too large to catch and restrain, a rope to lasso it was probably the easiest way to hold it
As for an emergency vet, I wouldn’t expect to find a large animal vet in Feltham, it they did he wouldn’t touch it until it was restrained.