Police kill rare white deer after chasing it for 9 hours through town

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A white stag was spotted on Sunday in the town of Bootle, Merseyside in England. Animal welfare workers urged local citizens and the police to leave the animal alone, assuring the public it would find its way back to the forest from where it came, however after a nine-hour chase, police killed the animal.

According to BBCNews, police defended their decision claiming it was in the interest of public safety.

White deer tend to be fallow deer originating in the Mediterranean and brought to Britain during the Roman period. They were kept in enclosures and were said to have gone extinct during the collapse of the Roman Empire. They are now the most common species of deer in England; most have spotted coats however the ones with all white coats are still quite rare.

It was the Royal Society of Prevention to Cruelty of Animals (RSPCA) who urged authorities to let the buck make his way back home, but police argued the animal on the roadway could cause an accident and harm motorists or pedestrians.

Police were finally able to corner the buck at an industrial estate and called a veterinarian to monitor the animal’s wellbeing, however no organization arrived to assist with freeing the animal, and as time progressed, the buck became more distressed. The buck was not able to be tranquilized, and later that afternoon, officials decided to humanely euthanize the animal.

“I respect people will have different views, but I can categorically say every single effort was made to save and relocated the deer and I am proud of all my officers who were involved in this difficult and challenging incident.”

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley

In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to kill a deer without a license and motorists can not use their vehicles to chase deer.

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(Photo via screenshot Gareth Sullivan on Twitter)

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