Humane despatch of animals on the public highway.

[Strangely Brown]

I deal with the incidents on a regular basis. My local 3 forces leave most of the HD to the vets. Unfortunately, the timescales are usually massive and the animal has often died. On the other side, police are very reluctant to do it themselves I have discovered many times over the years.

Police are Reluctant to do it themselves. What would they do it with?

Wiltshire police firearms teams have in the past had lectures from veterinary surgeons as to where shots should be placed if the need arises for HD.

[Dahonis]

Sadly, the only advice up 'ere is shot placement on cattle.

[Chapuis]

I deal with the incidents on a regular basis. My local 3 forces leave most of the HD to the vets. Unfortunately, the timescales are usually massive and the animal has often died. On the other side, police are very reluctant to do it themselves I have discovered many times over the years.

Police are Reluctant to do it themselves. What would they do it with?

Hunter 87 I think you are generalising a bit there. Many forces carry out this task themselves usually involving ARV crews, some of whome are experienced stalkers themselves. These forces are usually of the opinion that the potential risks are too great for the task to be entrusted to amateurs, even gifted ones.

[kennyc]

I deal with the incidents on a regular basis. My local 3 forces leave most of the HD to the vets. Unfortunately, the timescales are usually massive and the animal has often died. On the other side, police are very reluctant to do it themselves I have discovered many times over the years.

Police are Reluctant to do it themselves. What would they do it with?

Hunter 87 I think you are generalising a bit there. Many forces carry out this task themselves usually involving ARV crews, some of whome are experienced stalkers themselves. These forces are usually of the opinion that the potential risks are too great for the task to be entrusted to amateurs, even gifted ones.

seriously? considering the well advertised balls up that have been made by "proffesionals" I would suspect its more a case of Hubris.

[Dahonis]

Safety and public perception I presume are key factors.

In 13 years I have only seen cattle shot by AFO's. Normally we have to wait for a vet.

Two officers from Durham nearly got sacked for dealing with a deer a few years ago. This year a dog was shot, the public backlash was immense in both cases.

In more rural areas as Ovenpaa mentioned things are done a little differently. I don't criticise any police force, I just wish things could be done a little quicker. Most people who are not animal minded just see a deer, badger or fox injured beyond treatment and 2 or 4 people stood near the animal seemingly not doing anything, which is not the case.

[Chapuis]

Kenny C wrote "seriously? considering the well advertised balls up that have been made by "proffesionals" I would suspect its more a case of Hubris".


I can only comment regarding my local force area and some of the surrounding counties. Ten to fifteen years ago I would almost certainly have agreed with you, but things have advanced considerably since then.

[Chapuis]

Does anyone have specific wording regarding the use of a firearm for humane despatch whilst on the public highway. I have a condition to use .410 Slug for Deer however nothing for use actually on the highway and have been advised to call police control for an incident number before despatching the animal.

Anyone have any specific conditions for this or thoughts on the matter?

Ovenpaa I am curious, what is the actual wording of the condition on your FAC that permits you to use .410 slug for deer?

[ovenpaa]

The exact wording including capitalisation is as follows:

10. The .410 Solid Slug ammunition will only be used in connection with the HUMANE KILLING of DEER in the duties with the Lincolnshire Deer group.

[Chapuis]

The exact wording including capitalisation is as follows:

10. The .410 Solid Slug ammunition will only be used in connection with the HUMANE KILLING of DEER in the duties with the Lincolnshire Deer group.

That's interesting. I'm certainly not in any way suggesting or even hinting that it wouldn't be up to the job, very much far from it.
I also realise that when it comes to humane despatch in law to alleviate suffering almost (but not all) firearms are deemed suitable, and even some methods that do not involve firearms. Just for the sake of discussion I'm simply just wondering how they reconcile that condition with the various requirements of the deer acts which normally specifies 12 bore as minimum for such tasks.

I know that the force in my own local area strongly advocate the use of a .410 shotgun for humane despatch and will always suggest it in preference to a pistol, mainly because they are fundamentally opposed to anyone owning a pistol for HD. They always say that regular shot cartridges should be used. I'm not aware locally of anyone having authority for .410 slugs for this purpose. Lincolnshire obviously have a quite different take on things. I know for instance of them granting authority for pistols for HD. A keeper friend of mine who when living in Lincolnshire often attended incidents on the roadside and had a pistol. When he moved to Somerset and continued to carry out such duties he had quite an argument to retain his pistol.

I just wonder while being very reasonable and totally practical in your case, may in actual fact be acting slightly outside the law? Perhaps dropping an email to BASC or the BDS may throw some light on the matter.

Once again as with any and all legislation concerning firearms in this country it's more than slightly confusing and even possibly contradictory in places. Why on earth can't the legislators make all legislation clear and simple?

P.S. Just to further complicate matters we shouldn't forget that due to evolved government the Welsh assembly while having no control over actual firearms legislation have the power to write or amend their own Deer Acts (Scotland has always had their own deer acts).

[ovenpaa]

Good point about BASC, I will give them a call in the new year. I do agree and my licensing department initially suggested heavy shot such as SSG however I have an issue with availability as my shotgun is chambered in 2" and it is very unlikely that I would be able to source such cartridges so we settled on slug. There is nothing on my certificates that states I must use slug and I would be equally happy with anything larger than 4 shot and I do know people who will use whatever is to hand at the time shot wise.

I am led to believe Lincolnshire will not issue grants for pistols under any circumstances and are actively looking to withdraw such grants at renewal.