Shock as police ram escaped cow on the street, as officers say it 'was hurt while being moved to safety'

15 June 2024, 14:31 | Updated: 15 June 2024, 14:50

An escaped cow appears to have been rammed by a police car, in shocking footage shared online.

In the video, the Surrey Police vehicle, slams into a cow that is standing on a residential street on Thursday night.

The stunned cow gets to its feet again, before being rammed by the police car a second time.

After that it remains on the ground, and officers get out to assess the situation. Officers said later that the cow was injured and being treated.

The person who shared the video on social media said that the incident took place in Feltham, in the west London suburbs, although police said it was in Staines, a few miles to the west.

Bystanders can be heard reacting in shock and horror to the incident.

Warning: Readers may find the footage below disturbing

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Others who saw the clip online have also condemned the police's actions.

Chris Packham, the wildlife presenter and activist, said: "I don’t know where to start with this.

"But it’s surely illegal and must be investigated and prosecuted. What sort of monster rams a calf? Twice?"

Another person said: "This was totally unnecessary and totally above the force needed relevant to the risk."

The video posted is under 30 seconds long, so may be missing context that informed the officers' actions.

Surrey Police said: "Yesterday evening (14 June), at around 8:55pm, we received reports that a cow was running loose in Staines-upon-Thames. The cow ran onto a number of main roads and caused traffic disruption within the local area. Fortunately, the cow has not caused injuries to anyone.

"Whilst attempting to move the cow to safety, it became increasingly distressed and was injured. The cow is now secure within a park in the local area, and officers are remaining with it while we await the arrival of a vet."

Chief Inspector Adam Tatton said: “We know that this has caused some distress within the local community this evening, and I would like to reassure you that we are doing all we can to identify the owners and ensure the cow is seen as quickly as possible by a vet.

“Our priority when responding to any incident is first and foremost the safety of the public. I would like to thank the community for their understanding this evening, and ask that they stay away from the park while officers are on scene.”

A similar incident took place in 2021, when Thames Valley Police officers rammed and killed a runaway cow in Berkshire.

The force said the cow posed a threat to the public. The incident was referred to the police watchdog, who decided that the officers had no charges to face.