After more than a decade of being distressed by untethered cattle and bison, a Penal farmer shot and killed a cow on his property on Monday night.
The farmer, who requested anonymity, said it was not his intention to kill the animal, but intended to ward them off as he had done on previous occasions.
The 76-year-old man said he was at home watching cricket around 11:30 pm when noticed shadows in his Suchit Trace yard.
He took up his Remington shotgun and went outside, where he saw a herd of about eight animals.
“When I come out in the night I often take my firearm. I did not want to kill them, I was just going to shoot to scare them off.
But, there two start to come towards me. I receded but they did not stop and I fired. I didn’t want to shoot them, just scare them, so I shoot off of them and low. They ran off but one stayed back and I realise that it got shot.”
He said the owner collected the carcass the following morning.
Although it was about the third time he discharged his firearm to scare them off, he said it was the first time one got shot.
“I don’t feel good about this at all,” he lamented.
Last year he sent letters to the Ministry of Agriculture, Attorney General, Minister of National Security and Commissioner of Police, asking for their assistance.