RTA’s involving horses or cattle for that matter

Kenzo

Kenzo

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Just something I was talking to my OH about at the weekend, it just doesn’t seem right that should a horse be involved in a bad RTA, with such injuries its obvious to the owner (should the owner be ok) that’s its ‘put down job’ or that seriously injured/in pain that the owner just wishes for the horse to be shot asap, just doesn’t seem right that you should have to wait for an emergency vet to reach the scene before this can be done, they can’t always be there asap and the horse could be laid in distress for up to an hour before the poor thing has its suffering ended, when there is a farmer up the road that could come and do the job in half the time.

I know there are very good reasons why this can’t be done but why can’t something be put in place where a local farmer for example, could be trained, legally a loud to do this as part or a working relationship with your nearest vet practice?

A bit random and morbid for a Monday morning sorry, I just wondered what other peoples thoughts where on this subject.
 
Actually I don't see a problem with this in principle, if the owner is present and agrees the horse needs to be dispatched in the quickest way possible, and there is somebody nearby who has the means to do so lawfully, it can be done.

I can see problems though if somebody else, with the benefit of hindsight and half the information (and we all know those) subsequently persuades the owner that the animal was salvageable and the owner takes the farmer to court.....

The equipment required is a fairly powerful firearm or Captive Bolt Gun; although there are plenty of shotguns on farms, not everybody would have the right kind of gun to do this efficiently. For me it would be no different to calling out the local hunt if they were closer than the vet.
 
Can the local hunt do this when the horse has been involed in an RTA though...if not why not, no doubt it has somethig to do with your insurance but it just seems silly that there is no other person that can as you say lawfully do this when its an RTA.
 
I think it is important not to mix up insurance with what is permissible in law.

Your horse could be shot at the scene, however your insurers may take a dim view of this and refuse to pay out since the decision was not made by a vet.

completely separate issues
 
Oh yes I know but thats my point I think....I duno really I'm just thinking out load, it seems unfair that your horse should have to suffer until the vet comes, I know at the time obviously thats the the last thing on your mind(claiming off your insurance) the process just doesnt seem right thats all.
 
hmmm this is a difficult one, My mare who i had had for 12 yrs was involved in a RTA in September my loan was riding her and a skateboard came out in front of her and she bolted into the road and was hit by a van
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the vans wing mirror broke and cut the inside of her leg and caught a vein and the impact gave her internal injuries. I was on the train back from work at the time. The accident was bad they shut off the dual carriage way lots of police cars and fire engines etc. now the police called the vet when they arrived on the scene and the vet wouldn't come out until they knew who would pay the bill!!
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unbelievale right! (they weren't my usual vets) my mum was nearer than me at the time and called the vets and they came out asap but that was still 30-40 mins in which time she was distressed propbably in a lot of pain and being held up by 5 firemen, the vet got there as soon as he could and sadly there was no choice she had to be pts. Now i would obviously preferred her to be put out of her misery asap but on the other hand i don't think in my state i would have been happy to see an anyone but the vet carry it out, i see your point and do think that the choice should be there for anyone wanting to do this but personally for me i think it would feel wrong for anyone but a vet to do it. interesting discussuion...
 
I'm so very sorry to hear about your mare, at the same time its good to hear your opinion on the matter as you have experianced this.

I can see all the reasons why a vet should do it and perhaps in this case if someone else is riding your horse then they can't make that decision for the owner, but you have hit the nail right on the head when it comes to waiting for a vet to come out.

I think if the owner is present no matter what injuries, if its clear the horse is in pain/distress and the owner wants the horse shooting asap then there should be a quicker way than waiting for the vet to come out, yes the vet should be contacted asap but there should be something in place where the vet can say well I'm going to be at least (what ever time) if you want your horse putting down as soon as, then I authorise (so and so, who is a trained ...what ever they call it) to come out to you asap as they can be there much quicker.

Guess its not as simple as that I know, just something that got thinking thats all.
 
Some years ago there was a nasty RTA just outside our yard when a car ran up the back of a horse and broke his back leg above the hock.

As you can imagine it was absolutely horrific and the police (while sympathetic) refused point blank to allow the YO who had a rifle to shoot the horse because of the risk of somebody else being hit by the bullet if it exited - afterwards I could see their point even if, at the time I thought it very, very cruel. There was a small animal practise up the road and they pumped everything they had into him, just to try and put him out of his misery as the equine vet couldn't get there due to traffic but he was eventually got to the scene with an escort of police cars.

Talking (more like ranting tbh) to the police afterwards while we waited for the knacker van they said that while they will probably turn a blind eye to someone with a captive bolt using it in that situation there is no way they can take the risk of someone using a live firearm on a public highway.....especially as they don't know if they have experience of shooting an animal or they have only ever shot clays or similar.
 
I think it's bl**dy stupid that vets can't carry a firearm with them for this purpose. They should have a suitable locked container within the vehicle for exactly this reason.
A mad law if you ask me.
 
AFAIK there is no law that vets and/or licensed slaughtermen/hunt staff etc cannot carry a firearm. As I understood the police (and this was some years ago and talking to individual coppers rather than checking official force policy) was that professional horse people were very different to the "bloke up the road" who happens to have a rifle or a shotgun when it came to dealing with a large animal that neded putting down after an RTA.
 
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