City
Lethal Force Used on Escaped Cow
Photo: "The Pasture" by blogTO Flickr pooler Stacey.
Cows roaming free on the QEW. That's not something you see everyday (or ever?) on our city's freeways, so it was definitely newsworthy.
What's getting even more news now that this morning's situation is under control is the shooting death of one of the escaped cows. Police officers opened fire on a cow after it broke out of their control and charged towards another officer.
Acceptable casualty? Or could this situation have been avoided?
Opinions on the matter are clearly mixed. Many observers are questioning why the cow couldn't have been tranquilized instead of being shot to death. Other bystanders, however, praise the officers for doing what they needed to do to protect citizens. A local resident (as per the CityNews story) is quoted as saying the officers made the right move:
"I think the safety of residents and property has to come first. Now, I'm sure some animal rights activists will properly differ in that...I think they just did an outstanding job. [...] It could have been far more serious, but there was no other conclusion that they could come to."
Some people I have spoken to say that it didn't really matter if the cow was killed or caught, as they were all heading towards a slaughterhouse anyways.
So what do you think? Were the officers right in opening lethal fire on the cow? Or was there something else they could have done to bring the animal under control? Does it all really matter in the end?
Discussion
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How would you prefer to go? I think that cow got a good deal.
Not much experience on a farm, eh Joe? The average cow weighs 1300 pounds - having that charging at you would hurt more than 'a little'. But hey, they are cute, so they couldn't possibly be a threat, right?
I have.
And this: Have you ever been pinned by the chest to a wooden barricade by a cow?
I have.
It fucking hurts. Like several-hundred-pounds-of-cow-using-its-full-force-to-crush-you-hurts. Cows tend to weigh more than Rosanne-fucking-Barr. You get nailed and pinned by one of those and you'll wish you had a gun to shoot it in the head as it's really, REALLY fucking dangerous.
In other words, a reporter late to arrive at the scene jotted down random bs from people who weren't there and didn't really know what was going on.
A cow that was going to die, died. The End.
I think it's a tad futile (and perhaps a case of misplaced priorities) to argue that a cow (likely) destined for slaughter should get better treatment.
It's not that I don't have any sympathy for the cow, but first things first.
It's silly to argue that the cow was going to die anyway at a slaughterhouse. The whole idea that the bovine had to end its life dramatically with a bullet to the head (or perhaps several bullets) is unsettling.
electrical stunning and sticking
cutting carotis atery/jugular vein
electrical stunning and sticking
captive bolt and sticking
captive bolt/percussion stunning and sticking
asphyxia and homogenisaton
asphyxia and lacerations
Taken from the top Google hit for 'animal slaughter'. Again, I think this cow got off lucky.
From what I know, pigs are typically the unfortunate victims of the last two methods there - essentially they're lowered on a platform into a pit containing nothing but carbon dioxide.
then bbq his limbs in front of him as punishment..
or stun him and rehabilitate him back into society through calm meditative counselling.
but dont let him see that steak you have thawing out for dinner
From the Police Service Act of Ontario Sec 3.10:
10. Despite section 9, a member of a police force may discharge a handgun or other firearm,
(b) to destroy an animal that is potentially dangerous or is so badly injured that humanity dictates that its suffering be ended. O. Reg. 552/92, s. 6.
probably the best line ever.
If anybody is still questioning if a cow is dangerous or not, you might want to take note of Jerrold's post.
@Ry-Tron I too have been crushed against a stall's wall by a large cow. I have also had my bare feet trampled on my cow's hooves and stabbed by their horns. I have been knocked over, stepped on, and squished. But I understand these animals are simply much larger than I am and they have no intention of ever really harming me, or anything else. I absolutely do not agree that they are a real danger to the public. It is an ignorant public who believes a cow is better off shot in the street than properly rounded up and taken home.
This story has really upset me. Although I have been living in a city for many years now, I grew up on a farm. We had horses, chickens, and other animals, but we mostly raised cattle. Because of this, I know I have a different view of the animals compared to most people.
That being said, I think it is incredible that an officer fired so many shots to take down one poor heifer this afternoon. When she was spooked, she started to run away from what had scared her. That?s what these animals do, especially when they are in unfamiliar surroundings. I have never, in my entire lifetime known a cow of any kind to intentionally harm anything.
"Woodford called the animal?s death regrettable, but said it was imperative to protect the public." (From the article in The Star.)
I?m no where near becoming a bleeding-heart activist for animals rights, but that statement angers me. The animal was in unfamiliar surroundings, scared and alone. Shooting him proves pure ignorance on the part of these city-folk who think big animal = big, mean, scary animal.
It should have been tasered and sent to Gitmo.