'Dangerous' bull shot and killed by police after escaping meat plant on the Isle of Man

Police on the Isle of Man have shot and killed a bull, which officers described as 'dangerous' and 'on the loose'.

The Isle of Man Constabulary received reports of the bull shortly before 11:00am on Tuesday 14 October, in the area of Tromode in Douglas.

Firearm officers were dispatched to the scene, while other members of the police evacuated the public from the area.

The bull was found near Peel Road towards the Quarterbridge roundabout next to Douglas Rugby Club.

Several roads were closed for a short time in order to allow officers to safely locate the animal, where officers fired a number of shots to 'safely dispatch' the bull.

In a statement, the Isle of Man Constabulary said: "The bull, which was due to be dispatched by the IOM Meat Plant, became extremely aggressive, putting workers who are experienced in managing cattle at significant risk.

"The Meat Plant were unable to utilise conventional methods for dispatch. The bull became more agitated, and the Meat Plant requested assistance from the Police to dispatch the animal.

"Before the police arrived, further contact was received by 999 that the bull had escaped and entered some nearby residential estates, passing near to a primary school.

"Contact was immediately made with the school to initiate safety procedures. The bull was located at Douglas Rugby Club having gone through nearby fields and therefore could have easily escaped by the same entry or via other available exits.

Superintendent Steve Maddocks added: “The IOM Meat Plant asked for police assistance to dispatch the animal but unfortunately it escaped prior to our arrival. As per the Applied Professional Practice in relation to firearms operations, authorised firearms officers were deployed to negate the threat to the public.

"We fully understand the public’s upset with an animal having been dispatched but there was no easy way to contain the bull. It had free rein to go anywhere, having already travelled through an estate and near a primary school. I am aware that there were workers in the area who filmed the incident.

"We have no control over people filming in a public place or indeed what they choose to do with the footage. A number of shots were required to kill the bull due to the size of the animal. We would like to state to the public that there were no missed shots, and the public were not put in unnecessary danger by the police. The police do not have the capability to tranquilise animals, as has been suggested, and utilising a trained professional was not a viable option for wider public safety reasons.

"The IOM Meat Plant attended the location quickly and removed the bull. I am aware of some comments from members of the public suggesting we could have corralled the bull into a wagon or field with gates. These options were considered at the time by the firearms commanders and operatives, but again, were not deemed to be viable options.”

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