Meanwhile in Canada... RCMP officer shoots out-of-control cow after 911 call to Lawrencetown, (NS)

LAWRENCETOWN - An out-of-control cow that got loose and injured several people at Saturday’s cattle sales in Lawrencetown was shot by an RCMP officer after police received a 911 call.

The distraught animal was being off-loaded and got loose, said Annapolis District RCMP Staff-Sgt. Dan MacGillivray. Police got the call at about 10 a.m. and arrived at the scene only to be charged by the animal themselves at one point.

“It was, I guess, stressed out, or was acting erratically,” said MacGillivray, adding that there was a veterinarian at the exhibition grounds and that the owner of the animal was close by. “I guess it hurt a couple of people. It appears like this animal was attacking people – (that was) the information our officers had.”

MacGillivray said the veterinarian was there with a tranquilizer gun but may not have been able to get in position to use it.

“Our officers were there and were trying to control the public,” said MacGillvray. “The animal crossed Highway 1. At one point the animal came towards the police car with its head down. Our officers got out of the way.”

Down The Trail

According to one report, the animal crossed the Lawrencetown Volunteer Fire Department property and headed east down the trail on the abandoned railway line. Another said it went east down Highway 1 and then got on the trail, getting as far as Roberts Mechanical several kilometres away in Brickton before RCMP stopped it.

"Eventually the senior officer on the scene had to make a decision based on public interest, public safety -- that this cow was out of control -- and when it was safe to do so he dispatched the animal,” said MacGillivray. “He fired his handgun and the animal fell and the vet was there within a few minutes and took over.”

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