Police defend killing ‘aggressive’ cow

Lincolnshire Police said the cow posed a serious risk to the safety of residents after it became “increasingly distressed and aggressive” while on the run in Grantham on Monday.

Belton Lane Community Primary School had already been evacuated when the cow was shot but the police actions have been labelled as heavy handed by some members of the public.

A Facebook page dedicated to the cow has attracted more than 2,500 likes with many supporters critical of the how the force dealt with the incident.

Lincolnshire Police yesterday said four shots had been fired, which all hit their target. They said attempts to contain the cow were made for two. “The animal was roaming in a built up residential area and posed a serious risk to safety. In a situation like this the preservation of human life takes precedence.”