The horrific moment an escaped cow is rammed by a police car has been shared online and viewed millions of times.
In the clip, the Surrey Police vehicle ploughs into the animal a resident had filmed wandering along a residential street in Staines-upon-Thames on Friday night.
The stunned cow gets to its feet again, before being hit by the car a second time.
After that, it remains on the ground.
Officers get out to assess its condition. It is understood the cow was injured and is being treated for a large cut to the leg.
A resident - who shared the video on X, formerly Twitter - said that the incident took place in Feltham, west London.
Police said it happened in Staines, a few miles to the west, where bystanders could be heard reacting in shock and openly questioning the dramatic police action.
I don’t know where to start with this . But it’s surely illegal and must be investigated and prosecuted . What sort of monster rams a calf ? Twice ? https://t.co/Frd1tzXmZy
— Chris Packham (@ChrisGPackham) June 15, 2024
BBC wildlife presenter and activist Chris Packham said: “I don’t know where to start with this.
“But it’s surely illegal and must be investigated and prosecuted. What sort of monster rams a calf? Twice?”
Meanwhile home secretary James Cleverly demanded an explanation.
He wrote on X: “I can think of no reasonable need for this action. I’ve asked for a full, urgent explanation for this. It appears to be unnecessarily hevy handed.”
Surrey Police said: “Yesterday evening (June 14), at around 8:55pm, we received reports that a cow was running loose in Staines-upon-Thames.
“Yesterday evening (June 14), at around 8:55pm, we received reports that a cow was running loose in Staines-upon-Thames.
“The cow was running loose throughout the evening on a number of main roads and during this time, we received numerous calls from the public reporting a car being damaged and it running at members of the public.
“Given these reports, officers were extremely concerned about the public’s safety, and over a period of a number of hours tried a number of options to safely capture the cow.
“Unfortunately, these were unsuccessful, and the decision was made to stop it using a police car. This matter has been referred to our Professional Standards Department.
“The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been notified and a voluntary referral will be made in due course.
“With support from a member of the public, the cow was moved to a nearby farm in the early hours of this morning (June 15).
“The owner has been located and the cow’s injuries have been assessed by a vet. The cow sustained a large cut to its leg, and the vet is overseeing its continued treatment and recovery.”
I can think of no reasonable need for this action.
— James Cleverly🇬🇧 (@JamesCleverly) June 15, 2024
I’ve asked for a full, urgent explanation for this.
It appears to be unnecessarily heavy handed. https://t.co/FsNnA9iQ2R
Chief Inspector Adam Tatton said: “I know that this has caused distress and I’d like to thank the community for their concern. The decision to use the police car is one that was only taken after other methods to stop the cow had failed. There will be an investigation into the actions that led to this, but our focus at all times is on ensuring the safety of the public.
“I know there are videos circulating of this incident, which the public may find distressing. I would ask that these videos are sent directly to us to help with our investigation.”
