Vet: I could have helped with rampaging cow

Police had to shoot a cow after it rampaged through a Wanganui town this morning. PHOTO: Wanganui Chronicle / Bevan Conley

Wanganui veterinarian David Rankin said he could have assisted police in dealing with a cow on the loose in the town this morning.

The cow was shot at least nine times after running along Puriri St and Alma Rd, charging at people, including a person on a mobility scooter.

href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11501967" target="_blank">READ MORE: Rampaging cow charges locals in Whanganui

Mr Rankin said he condoned shooting the cow if it was distressed and a public danger.

"But the welfare of the animal should have been taken into consideration," he said.

"If I had been called, I could have assessed the cow and decided what the best option was."

Mr Rankin said he was used to dealing with large animals, and was also a registered gun holder and an experienced hunter.

He said if the animal had been distressed it would been all but impossible to use a tranquiliser dart on it.

"We do dart large animals, but when they are calm and contained. When a large animal like a cow is distressed, a sedative doesn't work because the animal is so worked up.

"It would have required a dose so large that it would have been a threat to its life."

Readers on the Wanganui Chronicle Facebook page were keen to express their opinions on the incident.

Jess Jones wrote, "So sad - if they hadn't have startled it so much with their sirens it probably would've returned back quite happily or at least been contained easier. The police were too trigger happy, and in a public area and my son's kindergarten there as well. Anything could've happened."

Jodie Frew said the incident was "appalling".

"They didn't wait for back up try to round it up to try and get it into Gonville Domain. The cop [was] jumping in and out of his car and firing and then chasing the bloody thing with his loaded gun whilst traffic was still coming, and kids out and about for school! Totally irresponsible of the police."

Edward Minnell was more sympathetic to the police's situation: "I have been on the receiving end of a pissed off cow. Luckily I am big and was able to take a knocks. Any child would have died. 11 shots is a bit poor to down a cow but shooting it was best. Once they get riled up then they can get quite nasty."

Jessica Fawcett said it was "better to have a dead cow than a dead person".

"Cows are big dangerous animals when they want to be," she said.