Police shoot stray horse 19 times!

I think this thread should be be sent to all the national papers...... i'd do it myself but i'm on Annual Leave, and staying away from my email for that reason.
Think the whole thing is a bl**dy disgrace.
 
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Thanks over2you for the contact details.

I have just sent a very strongly worded email to Paul Richardson, asking for no bullshit answers on the points mentioned I mentioned in my post.

The thing that makes me feel so sickened that EVEN if they thought this was the only method of ending the crisis there is just no reason for it to have taken 25 minutes and so many bullets, there just isnt...FACT.

If the report is accurate then I can see no other way to view this other than they intentionally prolgonged this horses death and if that if is the case then those involved need to be brought to justice and punished accordingly....FACT.

Sadiemay
 
Im really astonished and disgusted. When we see umpteen rescue programs on TV any uncatchable ponies are darted , what was the excuse. Its not a raging rhino or lion.


RSPCA response, typical, I went right off that charity a long time ago.

I really hope this isnt just brushed under the carpet and something is done about it, dreadful its 2010 for crying out loud!
 
I have written to the editors of the Daily Mail, the Times and the Telegraph with links to the Yorks News and here, asking them to take this up and publicise it.

I've now had to read all the posts about this, and am distressed beyond belief.

Sickening
 
This is absolutely disgusting ! There is no excuse for shooting a 'wild' pony. How on earth do we capture our 'wild' New Forest ponies? I'm sure the agisters and commoners dont go around shooting all the 'difficult' ones.
How that poor creature must have suffered. I hope the RSPCA can sleep at night, knowing that yet again they failed to stop suffering. I would never contact them for any equine related incident, as they are totally lacking in knowledge regarding anything horsey.
This shooting must be brought to the publics attention, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again. Shame on you Police. :mad:
 
amymay said:
Go for it.
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Yes I agree - a petition asking to know how many shots were actually fired from police marksmen in relation to this incident would be good.
As previously stated my OH is a police officer and I have just informed him of this. He is utterly horrified and disgusted.
 
To compare, in several ways;

The officials in Churchill, Canada have an excellent yet simple method of managing polar bears straying into the town during the leaner months of winter. Strategic humane traps, sedation and a ‘jail’ they are held in until it is time for them to move on, whereupon they are taken well away and set loose again. The people carry rifles but it is rare that they have to use them. Fatalities to humans do ‘very’ occasionally happen and some bears are shot if they pose an active threat but this is rare due to the work put in by the personnel who work hard to keep both safe.

Now, these horses/ponies shot, if not nineteen times, by all accounts still suffered an unneeded death over an extended number of minutes by very incompetent persons. These people who, in feeling safe in the large group appeared to revert to a base mentality whereupon it was deemed acceptable not only to refuse a much simpler solution of darting/sedation but to utilise excessive force for no clear reason. Psychologically they became sheep, but vicious ones. These are people who lose control, it is unbelievable albeit not at all unexpected they are being defended by their like.

Well done to all who are bringing this to mainstream attention.

I dread to think what would happen if they were charged with restraining or capturing a human suspect.

Again.
 
Daffodil said:
I have written to the editors of the Daily Mail, the Times and the Telegraph with links to the Yorks News and here, asking them to take this up and publicise it.

I've now had to read all the posts about this, and am distressed beyond belief.

Sickening
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Thanks Daffodil.... really hope they get it out there.
Everyone i've told is absolutely horrified.
If a kid with a rifle did that to a wild animal they would be prosecuted - it's just too awful to contemplate the suffering of these poor animals :-(
 
Hi - I live in York & found out about this just yesterday - I have been asked for comment & quoted in the York Evening Press as saying this was appalling. I immediately sent this story forward to the Daily Mail, the BHS, & the ILPH with a link to the York Press. The carcasses have been disposed of, but the witness states there are photos - if anyone out there knows about these & can persuade the person to make this public, then this would help to press this home and prevent this kind of thing ever happening again. As for the veterinary cover - a dereliction of duty I think. Please keep sending this story forward and press for a full inquiry - the Police have said in the press today that there will be an investigation, keep the pressure on folks.
 
I'm surprised and puzzled that I've received no acknowledgement or follow up to my emails to any of the national newspapers I contacted yesterday, and have now sent them a chasing email with a copy of my original.

I have also emailed World Horse Welfare and the BHS of which I've been a gold member for 35 years.

I hope this is going to be followed up.
 
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I am also concerned that the national press have not yet picked up on this one. There are ways to raise the profile of this incident if they do not. The level of outrage needs to be made clear, by petition, by protest or by demonstration if necessary.
We need to achieve an end result which confirms a procedure for dealing with loose horses on the highway, one which does not, ever, involve pursuing horses with 4x4s and shooting at them. We need to raise awareness of the current problematic situation where loose horses are shunted off road by the Police, only to re-appear later - We need an improvement to the protocol for dealing with horses in an emergency situation. We need our veterinary surgeons to stick to the oath they take and put the welfare of the animals committed to their care FIRST. We need a list, available to emergency services, of local personnel who can, and are willing, to act as handlers of horses in these types of situations - to offer advice and to be able to improvise to achieve a satisfactory outcome. We need local pounds for horses who are lost, abandoned or the subjects of welfare action.
If we all work together, this appalling incident may enable us to achieve some of the above and raise awareness of the other issues.
 
There shouldn't have been ANY reason to shoot these horse AT ALL!!! They are not dangerous wild animals posing a threat to the public are they. This can not have been a last resort surely - what else had they tried?!!! It is absolutely appalling. I wish i had been there I would have bloody well got in the way. Makes you question what sort of people we have working in the policie force who though this was necessary.

They let criminals joy ride along roads at horrendous speeds who pose a real threat to the public - I haven't heard of police shooting them!!

The thought of what those poor horses went through and how certainly one suffered so horrendously makes me feel sick. I do not live far from York and I just can't get my head round how anyone agreed this was the only course of action that could be taken. how they couldn't have herded them into a field then maybe darted them i do not know - there is plenty of farmland/fields in the York area as far as I am aware, there must have been a nearby gate that could have been opened surely??
 
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Chief Constable for South Yorkshire is Meredydd Hughes who was appointed in Sept 2004. His career included work as a Firearms Officer!!!

He was also Chair of Road policing Enforement Techinical Committee but resigned as a result of a speeding conviction. He was given a 42 day driving ban on 5/12/2007.

His email address is meredydd.hughes@southyorks.pnn.police.uk
 
OK - But York is North Yorkshire Police - the police response so far has been from headquarters at Fulford Road York. Superintendent is Andy McMillan.
 
Sorry someone earlier said South Yorks - I don't know your local geography.

Someone post an email addresss for the right person please?
 
I have heard nothing from any of the newspapers (after re-sending them my emails of yesterday), the BHS or World Horse Welfare.

I have given all of them my contact details.

Am now contemplating what to do next. I can telephone them all but am currently in my office, so that will have to wait until tomorrow and I'm stewarding at a show all day.
 
Double_choc_lab said:
Just a random thought about raising the profile - anyone think of any TV programmes - my initial thought "Countryfile". Could they investigate how stray animals are dealt with.?
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There's Look North news or possibly Horse & Country TV.

I'm following this story with interest as I don't live too far from the village and i'm utterly appalled by it all. Sadly police are great at cover-ups so how far we can take this is anyone's guess but count me in on any petitions/protests etc..

Has anyone created a facebook page on this? I have found that aweful website to have it uses when it comes to spreading the word!
 
YES - I have had a call from the ILPH and the BHS - they are both on the case. I have just rung the Daily Mail and they are sending a reporter - so hope this is the start of national coverage....The local Animal Health are now aware and on the case - we need to find local witnesses and those photographs.
 
Great re H&H - I sent them the transcript from the witness who posted in the York Evening Press - perhaps they will follow it up - there ARE more than one local witnesses, one of them is a farmer.
 
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