The calf that was mown down

Somehow I just don't believe a vet would not have been able to come out especially if the calf were likely to cause an accident on a major road. Or actually requested to come out. And paid by the police.

I don't believe the police. They have covered up too many times to earn my trust.

Completely unnecessary. It was a frightened calf not some fully grown cow running amok on a motorway.

As per, an episode like this gives some a reason to generalise about the police and be rude about them. The vast majority are decent men and women doing their best but they don't make the headlines, do they?

What on earth has the police reaction at Sarah Everard's vigil got to do with an escaped calf?!!!

I heard the interview this morning with The President of one of the Farmers Unions.

He said that the Police had tried for two hours and had been unable to get a local vet to come out, and that despite ringing local farmers none were able to attend.

He supported the Police actions, in his opinion it was far better to knock the calf down than let it get on to a major road and cause an accident which could have ended with a dead calf or dead humans.

I am not a farmer, and have limited contact with cows.

It was a horrible video though...

Good question Iam!

It seems some people are not fit to join the police. Especially one who thinks ramming a cow with a car is an acceptable way to bring it under control.

Why would anyone join the police

Their over the top actions remind me of the way they treated that small red headed woman when she attended a memorial for Sarah Everard.

And we were in our late 60s!

As an example. We were cycling along the camel trail, and came across a fully grown loose cow, we simply got off our bikes found a field gate and found we could open it, went back and gradually shooed the animal into the field, closed the gate and then cycled into wadebridge and told the police, who guessed the name of the farmer - took details of which field and job done.

No fuss, no drama. And certainly no cruelty.

Did you see the video? That was not a fully grown cow!

If two tottery OAPs can deal with a fully grown cow FGS then even the most spineless idiot could martial a young heifer.

It is absolute nonsense snd making a drama out of what should have been a problem quietly solved.

Just how dim are these police?

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.

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

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.

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?!

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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.