Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Vikki Halliday LLB — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:40:54 GMT

At least you knew it wasn't horse!

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Alison McIntosh — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:27:09 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

Ah well, the carcase seemed to set fine and it did taste really good. On reflection though, probably not the most sensible meal I have ever eaten albeit less risky than all those budget frozen meals and burgers I've consumed over the years!

Cough, gasp...

Niall

[/quote]

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Niall Taylor — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:14:00 GMT

Cough, gasp...

Niall

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Alison McIntosh — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:49:44 GMT

[quote user="Niall Taylor"]

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]Ever tempted to keep the venison?[/quote]

Oh yes - and then the RSPCA inspector called the next day to see how his "patient" was doing. He was very understanding when he saw it skinned, gutted and hung up to "set" in the kennel.

And, adrenaline or no, it was delicious.

Why would a deer hit - out of the blue - by a car, have any more stress effects than one that's been chased over half the Grampians before being blown away?

[/quote]

Because done properly, the deer doesn't even know you are there...Instant kill and no stress= tasty venison.

If the deer has been lying injured by the side of the road before being euthed then stress levels would, of course, be higher.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Utlendigur — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:03:02 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]Probably noticeable if looking for steaks, doubtful you would notice cooked long and slow in a casserole.[/quote]

Does that count as option 3 in the poll "Euthanase by lethal injection and do something else with body"

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:29:27 GMT

When I was a new graduate I was called by the police [I think] one weekend to a deer reported to have been struck by a car. I was concerned as at the time I did not hold a firearms licence and so would have to inject the deer. The control room assured me that was not a problem and they would instruct the Highways department to collect the dead deer. Just drag it from obvious view.

This didn't strike me as a very clever idea, but when young and green you do as you are told, especially if it is the police. As it happened when I attended there was no sign of the deer so I had nothing to do.

I have spoken to a number of vets who have received similar advice and we seem to have a few votes in the poll that would do the same.

Now my priority as a vet (and a deer stalker) is to the animal's welfare. There is no doubt that the moribund deer requires euthanasia. Now a small roe, muntjack or CWD will go in the back of the car. The what do you do with it? The chap who takes our dead pets cannot take them so that would mean calling the knackerman. Unsure how much they would charge.

A red deer, fallow or sika you would not fit in a vehicle without butchery. They are large animals that can weigh well over 100kg. Gutted and with head and feet off they take some manoeuvring. Many vets are female. Many small animal vets and some farm vets work out of a hatchback car. I have been out as a student to home PTSs and struggled to get a 50kg lab into the vehicle.

What is the solution? Well I don't think it is sensible eating something you find dead by the side of the road. It could have been sick and abnormal and that's why it didn't get out of the way of the car. I don't think it is fair to pass the buck (see what I did there? ) unless you have someone on the end of the phone to deal with the issue. Should we tag the deer? Spray the word 'poison' on the carcase? Do as I was told and leave for highways?

The discussion came up on another forum about eating dead deer found by the side of the road, and I suggested it may have been euthanased by a vet and waiting collection. People were horrified.

[I think shooting them is best, but I have a number of firearm options at my disposal that many of you will not. I shoot them and leave for highways]

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Niall Taylor — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:00:02 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]Ever tempted to keep the venison?[/quote]

Oh yes - and then the RSPCA inspector called the next day to see how his "patient" was doing. He was very understanding when he saw it skinned, gutted and hung up to "set" in the kennel.

And, adrenaline or no, it was delicious.

Why would a deer hit - out of the blue - by a car, have any more stress effects than one that's been chased over half the Grampians before being blown away?

Cheers,

Niall

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Clair Firth — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:38:18 GMT

Here in Austria (as in Germany - according to Dagmar's post - no personal experience!) we are required by law to contact the local hunter as all "huntable wild animals" e.g. wild boar, deer, pheasants etc are the property of the local hunt (no comparison with the fox hunters in the UK!) and we could be prosecuted for poaching if we euthanased and removed it. If we don't know the name/number of the relevant hunter then we should contact the police who will pass on the animal's details to the hunt.

And yes, I assumed this thread was about medically euthanasing an animal and then leaving it lying around for someone to take home and eat Given all the horsemeat troubles at the moment nothing seems too far fetched for a Findus lasagne!!!

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Rob Davis — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:43:53 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]So long as one of your colleagues hasn't been out and injected it. Sort of the reason I started the thread.[/quote]

It hadn't occurred to me that anyone would do something so irresponsible. I often do feel sleepy after a nice venison casserole for sunday lunch, though that may be something to do with nice red which accompanies it...

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Matt Hilary — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:04:21 GMT

The only time I've been in this situation the police were on site as part of the road had to be blocked off. Used euthatal (was a small deer).

Local knackerman was called out to pick up the body - I believe done for free as was on a fairly main route.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Mark Holmes — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:50:15 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Rob Davis"]I eat roadkill venison from time to time (usually muntjac round here). Often a significant amount needs to be discarded because of bruising, but if they have been killed instantly and found relatively quickly then there is often a lot of decent meat to be had - it seems a shame to waste it.[/quote]

So long as one of your colleagues hasn't been out and injected it. Sort of the reason I started the thread.

[/quote] Injecting and leaving it would be height of irresponsibility in my opinion and I expect rightfully prosecutable should it be discovered or worse.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Mark Holmes — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:47:20 GMT

[quote user="Alison McIntosh"]

Surely the meat wouldn't be good quality though, with all that stress?

[/quote] Probably noticeable if looking for steaks, doubtful you would notice cooked long and slow in a casserole.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:09:26 GMT

So long as one of your colleagues hasn't been out and injected it. Sort of the reason I started the thread.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Rob Davis — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 14:45:52 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

[quote user="Mark Holmes"] Ever tempted to keep the venison?[/quote]

No. All the adrenaline in the system would lead to dark meat. Never mind all the bruising.

[/quote]

I eat roadkill venison from time to time (usually muntjac round here). Often a significant amount needs to be discarded because of bruising, but if they have been killed instantly and found relatively quickly then there is often a lot of decent meat to be had - it seems a shame to waste it.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:41:34 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"] Ever tempted to keep the venison?[/quote]

No. All the adrenaline in the system would lead to dark meat. Never mind all the bruising. I can get all the venison I want cheap enough.

There is also the issue of ownership - a wild animal belongs to the person who's land it dies on. If you shoot a deer and it jumps a boundary fence and expires you have no right to recover it.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Alison McIntosh — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:36:14 GMT

Surely the meat wouldn't be good quality though, with all that stress?

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Mark Holmes — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:48:56 GMT

[quote user="Michael Woodhouse"]

I agree there is a lot of difference between a muntie and a red stag!

How are people getting rid of the bodies if they take them away?

[I shoot and leave]

[/quote] Ever tempted to keep the venison?

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Dagmar Steele — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 07:57:10 GMT

Over here the most chosen option would be to call the local huntsman. Deals with body as well. If not available police are only trained poorly to do this, so I'd do it by iv. injection. So far no need for me to do it though.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:25:17 GMT

I agree there is a lot of difference between a muntie and a red stag!

How are people getting rid of the bodies if they take them away?

[I shoot and leave]

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Rob Loxley — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:19:56 GMT

We have lots of muntjacs around here, however the last RTA deer I turned out to was somewhat larger, needing someone with a firearm. In future I'd probably point the police on to a practice with a firearm holder from the outset, in case it was needed.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Paul Dowie — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:15:14 GMT

I voted as to how I acted when called to a Munjac outside a kids school fortunately

at 6.30 am before kids arriving . However you question re size of deer is very

relevant as my freezer may not accommodate a large deer.

Re: Euthanasia of RTA deer by lethal injection

Utlendigur — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:10:56 GMT

What size deer? There's a big difference in size between a red deer and a muntjac in terms of getting it into a small hatchback

Would be option 1 if feasible - we don't have deer where I work, but that's what we do with the feral goats