Quebec Police Defend Shooting of Two Cows

GATINEAU, Que. — A senior police officer in Gatineau, Que., is defending the fatal police shooting of two cattle last week, saying a video that captured the incident and was posted online — does not show the whole story.

In an open letter to the media issued Tuesday, deputy police Chief Luc Beaudoin says his officers killed the animals because they were threatening the public.

The video, recorded by a horrified witness, showed police cars, with lights and sirens going, chasing and surrounding one of the animals as officers fired at least 10 shots from close range.

The video has been seen more than 254,000 times on YouTube by viewers from around the world, stirring accusations that the Gatineau police lacked compassion for the animals and used excessive cruelty.

Beaudoin acknowledged that the public is questioning why police didn’t use tranquilizers or corral the animals that were already destined for the slaughterhouse when they escaped from a trailer last Thursday.

But he says the video is 77 seconds long and does not reflect the reality of the intervention, which lasted more than an hour, during which, he says, police consulted with the animals’ owner and other cattle breeders in an effort to calm the animals and isolate them.

“An hour during which every attempt failed, and during which one of the animals, who may not have appeared dangerous to witnesses who had not seen the preceding 60 minutes, charged vehicles, moved a trailer by its sheer physical strength, and managed to once again escape, right there in the city near a school and busy roads.”

Beaudoin also says police contacted wildlife officers “who unfortunately were unable to assist us.”

He says the police are trained to protect the public and “while none of them wants to see an animal suffer, public safety must be the primary consideration.”

Beaudoin says the Gatineau police service has launched an administrative investigation, which is standard whenever an officer uses a gun.

He says the investigation’s recommendations will be reviewed, adding “we all stand to learn something from this unfortunate event.”

The animals’ deaths have prompted a letter-writing campaign, organized by Canadians for Ethical Treatment of Food Animals, that targets the Gatineau police force.

Warning: The video is disturbing to some, so viewer discretion is advised.

Article Source: CTV News 

Join the conversation… What is your opinion on how the shooting was handled? Was this a case of “police brutality” or were the actions justified?

11 thoughts on “Quebec Police Defend Shooting of Two Cows

  1. These actions were not justified. If the cop making the kill shot can’t hit the cow in the head then there should be an alternative. Cop should also be sent for more gun training cause he cant hit the broad side of a barn.

  2. I think the animal rights should get invlved with this. For the fact is if anybody else did what these stupid cops did we would be charged with animal abuse!Those cows were scared of the sirens and lights. What ever happened to using your brain. …………like tranquilizing them and putting them in a trailer or corraling them up! How would the cop like to suffer like the cows!

  3. Now for all you CITY people that have never been around a cow, bull ,steer,hefer or a calf for that matter i will explain something to all of you . When you get a large ( steer ) thats what it looks like in the video and if you dont no what a (steer) is look it up or any bovien that has a CITY SLICKER term so you all can understand A MEAN STREAK in them you dont want to be standing any where near them because they will CHARGE YOU AND KILL YOU IF THEY CAN now this (steer) looks to be close to the city well im sure if your child was outside and this (steer) charged your child and killed him or her you would want the (steer) shot so in conclusion to your short lesson on how some CATTLE can behave . What the police did was to protect all you CITY FOLK so that no one got killed because the only cattle you people have ever seen was in a petting zoo . So i would say THANK YOU TO THE POLICE FOR PROTECTING ALL OF YOU .

  4. Rosemarie………get off the weed and go back to the woods………..this is unusual punishment and crulity towards an amimal, I, as a retired police officer would be ashamed of myself for causing such a painful death to an amimal and for being undertrained in the use of a fire arm, YOU MORONS (PO) should defenitely loose your firearms licence and be charged for crulety of an animal. Tina, I agree with you, the cow should have been tranquilized……..So much for your short lesson Roseknowitall, the closest you’ve been to a cow, steet, bull, etc. is in the toy section of Toys R US store……….and by the way, we do run a beef ranch……….F@#$^ morons………….

  5. this is one of the cruelest executions i have ever seen!!!!! the officers should be charged with animal cruelty!!!!! and they wonder why they are refferd to as PIGS its apolling! There is absolutely noreason why they couldnt have tranquilized them !!!

  6. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and, we weren’t present to the actual situation. None the less,. growing up on a farm myself, and seeing many times a similar situation, there are ways to handle such a situation without over reacting in such a cruel, “gun happy ” way. I doubt very much the officers are trained to handle (animal situations etc) and hopefully, had the safety of the public in mind. Bottom line being, this animal was loose, terrified and confused with all the lights flashing, sirens blasting and people yelling and screaming at it, as we can all see when looking at it. It didn’t know which way to turn. Who, or what would in the same situation? I did not see this animal (charge) anyone, and feel the officers went over board in a cruel way of killing this poor animal, who suffered terribly before dieing in such a manner…

  7. Ps, i have seen (charging Bulls, steer, cows, and even calfs) before, and this was NOT a charge in my opinion. Not all of us are “city slickers ” as Rosemarie mentioned and we DO know the difference with cattle. Regardless of what it was, it was killed in a terrible way, and sickens me to no end. Riddling a terrified animal with bullets (from the wrong type of gun) would cause a very slow, agonizing death to this animal…

  8. Well Rosemarie it is a matter of fact I live on a farm and I also have cattle ! What pisses me off is this cow was scared and wasn”t charging when the cops cruely shot and as far as I am concerned tortured this poor animal and they should be punished for it. If I was to shoot one of my cows ten times or more before doing the kill shot I would be convicted of animal abuse! So what makes the cops right? Isn”t animal abuse animal abuse?

  9. This is appauling to say the least when all they had to do was get a rope and keep the cow contained till its owners came that obviously would know how to handle the situation and lead the cow to green pastures absolutely horrible this guy obviously is not a farm person at all . Unbelievable !!!!!!!!!!

  10. I am a city girl and I’ve never lived on a farm or where there is wild animals. I’ve always dreamed of living on a farm or in the country but I agree with Tina, Karen and City Slicker. This is in fact animal cruelty. I also believe that the police should be charge of such a thing and should also get extra training on how to handle wildlife in such places. This way they can TRANQUILIZE THE ANIMALS and not KILL THEM!
    I also think that they should of gotten some guideance on how to handle the cow by speaking to someone from the WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT! So in my mind, they should also get charge for not being there with the tranquilizer.

  11. As a past resident of the area… now living in Yellowknife, NT… I am a polled at the inhumane treatment if this cow. This is nothing more than cruelty to animals. If this had to be done… it should have been done in a humane way… I hope the police get some extra training on how to handle such situations in the future. Bad cops!!!

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