RSPCA TOO BUSY TO HELP INJURED DEER !

GLENHOLT residents have spoken of their distress after a young deer was shot by a police marksman when it became entangled in a fence.



Peter Suggett was walking his dog at 9am yesterday near a children's play area when he spotted the trapped animal.

The young female roe deer had apparently tried to leap a wire fence and caught a hind leg in a loop of wire at the top.
Mr Suggett said: "The poor thing was injured and very distressed. We tried to get it free, but we couldn't."
Local people phoned the police and the RSPCA, and then an animal veterinary hospital at Mainstone.

When the police arrived at Glenholt, because the animal was in a bad way and near to a playground used by young children, the decision was taken to shoot it to end its suffering.
The deer was killed with a single rifle shot from a police marksman, and the city council was contacted about removal of the corpse.

The police explained that the RSPCA had told them that all their inspectors were busy, and could not say when one would be free to attend to the distressed animal.

But some Glenholt residents were unhappy about the way the whole incident was handled.
Raymond Waddington, 61, said: "The animal's leg was broken and bleeding, and it was stressed out, but if it had been tranquilised, I think it would have survived, even if the leg had had to be amputated.
"I've seen programmes on TV about deer with three legs.
"A vet from the veterinary hospital at Mainstone arrived only two minutes after the police shot it. I had trouble finding a phone number for the RSPCA, and eventually had to ring one of its charity shops and ask."
"I think the situation was handled terribly."

Nobody from the RSPCA was available to comment yesterday.


We wonder if the RSPCA will prosecute the Police Officer involved for his humane actions as they did PC Jonathon Bell of Staffordshire Police ? PC Bell put an injured cat out of its misery after it was hit by a car, after a 2 year legal battle following the RSPCA prosecuting PC Bell for cruelty, 8 hearings and £50,000 wasted on legal fees PC Bell was quite rightly acquited. PC Bell's supporters accuse the RSPCA of harassment and say the Constable has been "to hell and back". He spent a month off work with stress as the legal process ground on.Pc Bell, who is married with two children, was acquitted when the trial eventually went ahead. District Judge Graham Richards told him: "You did what you honestly thought best. You walk out of here without a stain on your character."
Yet despite the judge's words, the RSPCA carried on pursuing the case until, at the High Court, Mr Justice Bean refused leave to appeal.


See links below for further details;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1515201/Two-years-and-andpound50,000-later,-ordeal-of-policeman-who-put-dying-cat-out-of-its-misery-is-finally-over.html


http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Anger-police-shoot-injured-deer/article-413616-detail/article.html