Cop Accused Of Cruelty After Taking Two Shots To Kill Kangaroo

[Steve]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-...x-1225823920905

A DEBATE has erupted between the RSPCA and Police Association over a policeman's decision to shoot an injured kangaroo. An image filed by Preston Leader photographer Adam Elwood shows a police cocking the trigger and pointing his revolver at an injured kangaroo in a Melbourne street.

The big kangaroo was hit by a car and severely injured before struggling on to tram tracks in Plenty Rd, Bundoora.

Police phoned for an animal ranger to assess the kangaroo and its badly broken leg, but there was no one available.

The sergeant raised his .38 revolver and shot the kangaroo.

A police spokesman said the kangaroo was unpredictable and might have injured somebody or limped back on to the major road and caused a collision.

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Dr Hugh Wirth of the RSPCA told the Herald Sun it was inhumane to kill the kangaroo in more than one shot and the animal should have been assessed before being euthanised.

"Two shots can’t be humane,” Dr Wirth said.

“One shot yes. One shot has to be put into the base of the brain so that it knocks out all the vital centres in one go.

“If you don’t know where the vital centres are in the base of the brain of the kangaroo, you don’t shoot it.”

But the actions were defended by the Police Association and hierarchy.

"An experienced sergeant humanely disposed of the roo with two shots," the police spokesman said.

Police Association secretary Sen Sgt Greg Davies said country police officers were often required to put down injured wildlife.

"It’s not common in urban areas, but police quite regularly in country areas have to put down injured animals of all makes and models and kangaroos are not exempt,’’ he said.

"I would have put down 20 animals in my time, perhaps more.

"City people think kangaroos are like Skippy, but they can actually be quite vicious animals.’’

Read more about the policeman who shot the kangaroo at the Herald Sun

[WreckitWhippet]

Well I guess the officer could have left injured and wandering about, just waiting for an accident to happen or for however long it took for a ranger or the RSPCA to rock up.

[Dracdog]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-...x-1225823920905

A DEBATE has erupted between the RSPCA and Police Association over a policeman's decision to shoot an injured kangaroo. An image filed by Preston Leader photographer Adam Elwood shows a police cocking the trigger and pointing his revolver at an injured kangaroo in a Melbourne street.

The big kangaroo was hit by a car and severely injured before struggling on to tram tracks in Plenty Rd, Bundoora.

Police phoned for an animal ranger to assess the kangaroo and its badly broken leg, but there was no one available.

The sergeant raised his .38 revolver and shot the kangaroo.

A police spokesman said the kangaroo was unpredictable and might have injured somebody or limped back on to the major road and caused a collision.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Dr Hugh Wirth of the RSPCA told the Herald Sun it was inhumane to kill the kangaroo in more than one shot and the animal should have been assessed before being euthanised.

"Two shots can’t be humane,” Dr Wirth said.

“One shot yes. One shot has to be put into the base of the brain so that it knocks out all the vital centres in one go.

“If you don’t know where the vital centres are in the base of the brain of the kangaroo, you don’t shoot it.”

But the actions were defended by the Police Association and hierarchy.

"An experienced sergeant humanely disposed of the roo with two shots," the police spokesman said.

Police Association secretary Sen Sgt Greg Davies said country police officers were often required to put down injured wildlife.

"It’s not common in urban areas, but police quite regularly in country areas have to put down injured animals of all makes and models and kangaroos are not exempt,’’ he said.

"I would have put down 20 animals in my time, perhaps more.

"City people think kangaroos are like Skippy, but they can actually be quite vicious animals.’’

Read more about the policeman who shot the kangaroo at the Herald Sun

Dr Wirth needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The cop did the right thing. So what if it took 2 shots it is not as if he shot it once walked away and came back an hour later and shot it again. It would have been 2 quick taps. It would have been cruel to just leave it there waiting for someone else to come and assess the animal and it would have been crueler and even dangerous to try and take it to be assesed or just move it out of the way.

I congratulate the cop on a job well done.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Dracdog

[persephone]

Good for the policeman!

enabling a firearm in a built up area is not a thing done lightly.

As Dr.Wirth explained- there is only one correct way for instant death. I am sure police are not normally privy to the handbook which shows diagrams of the brain's position and sets out the correct way to kill kangaroos- .... he did what he could.

A thrashing kangaroo is not the easiest of targets-bearing in mind onlookers,traffic/nearby houses.....

[Crisovar]

I read some of the comments on this story and had to stop, people really do have no clue. Worthless is just getting himself in the news again and the cop did what cops do every day all over the country.

The roo went in the least stressful way and quickly.

[raz]

I read some of the comments on this story and had to stop, people really do have no clue.

Great, arent they. I stopped reading at this one:

WHATS WRONG WITH YOU. Its bloody Australia Day.

[Crisovar]

We end up with roos at work on a regular basis, the poor bloody things are stressed beyond belief, thrashing and trying to get away from those trying to restrain them, mostly with messy results. Shot at the scene is the quickest and kindest.

There is no humane way to get a vein on a frantic stressed roo.

[Kirislin]

Well, I suppose if he'd taken to it with an axe he could've got its head off in one clean chop. I wonder what those who are being critical of him would think then.

Poor roo, and I feel sorry for the cop. He did his best in the circumstances. I am sure he wanted it over as quickly and cleanly as possible.

[TiffanyAmber]

What gets me is that this is all a set up. I not having a go at the copper but here in the country news reporters don't get a chance to take photos. Its done and quick.

And as someone said its Australia Day.

[MissMolly]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-...x-1225823920905

A DEBATE has erupted between the RSPCA and Police Association over a policeman's decision to shoot an injured kangaroo. An image filed by Preston Leader photographer Adam Elwood shows a police cocking the trigger and pointing his revolver at an injured kangaroo in a Melbourne street.

The big kangaroo was hit by a car and severely injured before struggling on to tram tracks in Plenty Rd, Bundoora.

Police phoned for an animal ranger to assess the kangaroo and its badly broken leg, but there was no one available.

The sergeant raised his .38 revolver and shot the kangaroo.

A police spokesman said the kangaroo was unpredictable and might have injured somebody or limped back on to the major road and caused a collision.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

Dr Hugh Wirth of the RSPCA told the Herald Sun it was inhumane to kill the kangaroo in more than one shot and the animal should have been assessed before being euthanised.

"Two shots can’t be humane,” Dr Wirth said.

“One shot yes. One shot has to be put into the base of the brain so that it knocks out all the vital centres in one go.

“If you don’t know where the vital centres are in the base of the brain of the kangaroo, you don’t shoot it.”

But the actions were defended by the Police Association and hierarchy.

"An experienced sergeant humanely disposed of the roo with two shots," the police spokesman said.

Police Association secretary Sen Sgt Greg Davies said country police officers were often required to put down injured wildlife.

"It’s not common in urban areas, but police quite regularly in country areas have to put down injured animals of all makes and models and kangaroos are not exempt,’’ he said.

"I would have put down 20 animals in my time, perhaps more.

"City people think kangaroos are like Skippy, but they can actually be quite vicious animals.’’

Read more about the policeman who shot the kangaroo at the Herald Sun

Dr Wirth needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The cop did the right thing. So what if it took 2 shots it is not as if he shot it once walked away and came back an hour later and shot it again. It would have been 2 quick taps. It would have been cruel to just leave it there waiting for someone else to come and assess the animal and it would have been crueler and even dangerous to try and take it to be assesed or just move it out of the way.

I congratulate the cop on a job well done.

Dracdog, My thoughts also...

Edited January 27, 2010 by MissMolly

[SeeGee]

So pleased to know that so many people here see the logic in this situation, its nice to be surrounded by like minded people. Its people like you that help my husband come home in a good frame of mind after a horrid night/day at work. Full support to the police officer, and lots of warm fuzzies to those already posted :-)

[pebbles]

Is it possible to get a diagram of the base of Wirthless's brain?

eta - to protect my butt lol.

Edited January 27, 2010 by pebbles

[Christina]

Well I guess the officer could have left injured and wandering about, just waiting for an accident to happen or for however long it took for a ranger or the RSPCA to rock up.

Thats true & common sense, oh where did common sense go ?

The man must have felt bad having to do this & then he gets this crap.

What is bloody wrong with people.

[lovemymutts]

I often have to ring the police to dispose of roos etc that some idiot has hit & left it to drag itself around in severe amounts of pain. Instead of hounding the cops why don't they do an article on all the idiots out there who just hit animals & leave them to suffer! The amount of times I have come across animals that have been hit but are still alive is disgusting, whether it be a kangaroo or a rabbit if you hit something, STOP & CHECK. If an adult roo has a broken leg there is NOTHING you can do because before anything could happen the roo would die from myopathy. Shooting it is a heck of a lot better than the alternative of just leaving it there & at least he made sure it was dead. I have come across a roo that had been shot int he head but not put out of it's misery & had still been wonkily hopping around for weeks in huge amounts of pain, it was later humanely euthanised. The police officer did the right thing in this situation.

[Linda K]

and this did not even happen on Australia Day, sounds like the good old Herald Sun picked this as the best day (and most sensational way), to show this picture and story. Shame on HS, and good on the officer doing what he had to do - far better than waiting for the RSPCA (if they could even be bothered to turn up) We have that many that end up by the side of the road around us, it is a sad but true fact of the collision of land uses, multiplied by drought

[corrie]

What gets me is that this is all a set up. I not having a go at the copper but here in the country news reporters don't get a chance to take photos. Its done and quick.

And as someone said its Australia Day.

That doesn't nessesarily mean it is a set up. In the country they probably have a wider area to cover and less photographers.

[Jed]

Oh, that wretched man. Will the rubbish never stop?

And Dr Wirth's option for the injured kangaroo was?

Bloody nothing.

If they'd been able to call an RSPCA inspector and have him attend in under 5 days, the policeman wouldn't have had to do their job for them.The inspectors were no doubt out and about raiding harmless little old pensioner registered dog breeders, and seizing their well cared for toy dogs to dump them in the pound and give them some nasty diseases.

Shame on you Wirth. You're simply a media prostitute, saying anything to get your wretched name in the paper.

2 shots was better than a frantic roo thrashing around a suburban street, in shock and pain and panic stricken.

My congratulations to the polliceman for doing a nasty job quickly and as humanely as possible. No one likes doing that, he did the best he could, and he has been publicly abused.

Do it yourself next time Wirth

And don't bitch about that, Wirth when your organisation commissioned helicopters to shoot horses from the air, and left them neck shot, gut shot or with broken legs, or blown out ribs, or with intestines hanging to die as best they could, over as long as they needed, while their foals slowly starved to death.

And weren't you employing shooters to pot some kangaroos somewhere? Wonder how many only needed one shot. Notice that didn't make the papers

Disgusting organisation.

[persephone]

commissioned helicopters to shoot horses from the air, and left them neck shot, gut shot or with broken legs, or blown out ribs, or with intestines hanging to die as best they could, over as long as they needed, while their foals slowly starved to death.

Indeed that was brutal.

[raz]

Shame on you Wirth. You're simply a media prostitute, saying anything to get your wretched name in the paper.

Bingo. He's no better than Ingrid 'We are complete press sluts' Newkirk

[perrin]

I saw this on the news. They showed footage of the kangaroo lying across tram lines with traffic going both ways.

I agree with the policeman. Better to put it down then to leave it there with a broken leg when animal aid workers were not able to get to the scene.

And good on the police force for standing by that man and saying he did the right thing. It couldn't have been an easy thing to do espeically with so many onlookers.