Cow rammed by police

[Labtastic]

I am absolutely gobsmacked by this - Surrey Police ramming an escaped cow to the ground and then trapping it under their car - what in the name of actual fuck were they thinking? It looks to be a young cow too. Just horrifying. (The video is distressing so watch with caution)

https://x.com/ub1ub2/status/1801939257054859521?s=46&t=Pfjp_stFUzJzWEsZJQFxng

They need to name and shame the offending officer. The police are so cruel sometimes.

I hope the owner gets investigated by the rspca for letting the cow out.

Hopefully the cow will be spared from slaughter after this.

It’s not a cow it’s a herd of cows that are dangerous, usually a herd with young calves. By themselves they’re pretty chill but a whole field of them and it’s mob rule. They tend to go for dogs and then by association the dog walker because they see them as a threat to their babies.

glad he had been taken off front line duties

I live where there are large areas of free roaming animals. Our police know how to handle them (and call the right people out). People are rarely injured and then only by their own foolhardiness most of the time (getting too close, letting a child approach an animal or feeding them).
Those police had better never try to transfer here.

@PithyLion well he has today. Doubt it’ll last long.

There was zero excuse for the police's actions.
That heifer wasn't a threat to anyone. Calm herding it into a safe place would have been sufficient to get her somewhere safe.
If an animal isn't doing what you want odds are your the problem not it.
If you're worried about traffic - shut the road! It's not rocket science.
The police should have had contact details for a local farmer - any cattle owner would have done.
Vets would have had limited use. Country to what people think most vets would not have a firearms license for darting a cow. Very few do in the Uk - because they simply don't need to be.

Calling the hunt would even have been a better option than they chose as odds are they would know the farmer and would have the handling kit to safely catch and transport the cow.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/16/surrey-police-officer-who-rammed-cow-should-be-fired-says-owners-partner

I'm pleased to see it's being taken seriously at least.
I really think the police officer must be sacked. He misused his power, and clearly is not fit for his job.

A field full of recently-weaned young cows - either heifers or bullocks, are not dangerous at all. As a kid, I frequently walked through fields full of bullocks. Gentle curious souls. They loved to sniff my hair, and I had my forehead licked by their hairy tongues more than once! Such lovely animals.
The only time I've heard of cows attacking, is mama cows protecting their young. They're extremely good mothers.
But, a field full of young cows are no threat. So, this one young heifer, was definitely no threat whatsoever, and was just asking for help. I feel so sorry for her 😔

The DM is reporting that the police car rammed it 5 times at various points in the evening. As I understand it they were following it around and kept trying to run it down.

The new footage is horrific and I've only caught a glimpse of it because I can't watch it all.

They didn't "let it out". Cows cost a lot of money....do you really think a farmer would want their animals careering round roads. Animals sometimes panic and go through hedges or electric fence. It REALLY isn't an RSPCA job.

Anyone who eats meat and who are moaning about this is ridiculous 😂😂 what do you think happens to the animals you consume!? They are treated far worse than this!! What a joke.

I have helped a Beef farmer friend a few times when we meet up. I dont agree with the ramming! should of been blocked off, but that would be incredibly difficult in a street. Cows can run very fast and I have seen them knock over big blokes like there was nothing there, and they can jump over quite a big fence so this task was actually very difficult.

I live in Norfolk and have seen many escaped cows (once a whole heard in a village), 10+ escapes horses all wandering along the Acle straight (dangerous road near Great Yarmouth) at the same time. Found a horse in my garden twice (same horse). It happens all the time. Police actions here were 100% disproportionate.

That is despicable.

Anyone who hurts an animal has no compassion and should not be in a job where that single attribute is most important. Furthermore if I was even told to do that I would refuse.

@newtlover I eat meat very occasionally, but that doesn't matter. I think your point is really valid. We are allowed to feel sickened by this, vegan or not.
But I think we are all hypocritical to some extent because we absolutely refuse to acknowledge or accept how hideously animals are often treated behind the scenes for our consumption. The more I see the more sick I feel.

I think you are absolutely right. We have to open our eyes and stop the hypocrisy. I can't believe what I've seen this week regards how these animals are treated in the food chain. I'm not vegan.

I want to stop using milk, it's just coffee I need though and the replacements are terrible and expensive

This has nothing to do with what happens to animals elsewhere , this is about the mentality of a police officer who thinks that it is ok to just try and run a living creature over with his car . It is not a race to the bottom for cruelty. Just because donkeys are regularly abused in parts of the world wouldn’t make it ok for someone to go in a field locally stab a donkey and say why are you worried donkeys are killed in worse ways all over the world .

It's just an exaggerated event though highlighting the general way we view cattle. It wouldn't have happened to an escaped big cat or a wolf

A big cat or wolf escaped from csptivity would likely have been shot dead to be fair. Not sure which is worse (leaning towards being repeatedly rammed by a car!)

So, why don't you view other cruelty to animals the same way as this policeman? ie for meat?

Yes, I get the idea here; police brutality etc. But this isn't what the majority of people are commenting on.

People are feeling sorry for the calf and 'can't watch it' which is ridiculous when they eat meat.

People like to turn a blind eye to where their meat comes from; ignorance is bliss isn't it?

That is a totally separate issue. The question here is about the judgement, power and decision making of Police, and where the line should be drawn.