WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO.
The inhabitants of an English town were outraged this weekend when video emerged of a police car ramming an escaped cow multiple times in the middle of the street.
A female calf named Beau Lucy escaped from a local farm onto the streets of Saines-upon-Thames, northwest Surrey, near London Friday, according to a Daily Mail report. Footage of the police pursuit appeared to show one of their cars deliberately striking the animal twice. The officer driving the vehicle has been suspended pending an investigation, according to the report.
A distressing social media video shows a police vehicle ramming into an escaped cow.
Surrey Police said they and the IOPC are investigating the incident. The cow has since been returned to its owner and is receiving treatment from a vet.
Warning: Distressing content pic.twitter.com/O5dECVPUMC
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) June 15, 2024
The video of the incident went viral on social media, prompting hundreds of complaints to Surrey police, according to a report in The Independent. The United Kingdom home secretary, James Cleverly, was among those who voiced his concern at the distressing images, writing, “I can think of no reasonable need for this action. I’ve asked for a full, urgent explanation for this. It appears to be unnecessarily heavy-handed,” in a statement on his X account. (RELATED: Cow Kills Woman)
In response to public concerns, Chief Inspector of Surrey Police, Sam Adcock said, “I know that this has caused distress and I’d like to thank the community for their concern… The decision to use the police car is one that was only taken after other methods to stop the cow had failed,” according to The Daily Mail. Deputy Chief Constable Nev Kemp later clarified that, “At this time, the officer who was driving the police car has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of these investigations.”
Please see our statement below regarding a cow on the loose in Staines-upon-Thames yesterday. The cow has been seen by a vet & is receiving treatment for a large cut to its leg. If you have any info or footage, please submit via our online reporting tool: https://t.co/Ynfx68k3mW pic.twitter.com/UWqdj44Bis
— Surrey Police (@SurreyPolice) June 15, 2024
The cow has been returned to its farm where it has re-joined its herd and is now eating and drinking normally, after being treated by a vet, according to a Sky News report. Despite seemingly sustaining only superficial damage, there is still concern over unseen internal injuries or the potential of death from shock. The farmer’s partner Kate told reporters, “I don’t know whether she will live. She could die of the shock but hopefully she’ll live.” The police have asked any further footage be sent directly to them, according to The Mail.
