An elderly man has been airlifted to Cardiff University Hospital of Wales with ‘serious injuries’ after being attacked by an escaped cow from a livestock mart in Whitland, Carmarthenshire.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said that the incident occurred at around 10:15a.m on November 19.
A cow escaped from the mart sale and made its way to the centre of Whitland village, where it attacked and trampled an elderly man.
The cow then found its way onto the railway lines which caused trains to be halted to “mitigate danger to them”.
In consultation with the owner of the animal, police made “every effort” to contain the animal safely but due to the dangers posed by the cow, “it was humanely dispatched with consent of owner,” the spokesperson added.
The Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the incident and enquires are currently taking place.
In other news regarding livestock in Wales, A consultation on mandatory CCTV in Welsh slaughterhouses has opened and it will run for twelve weeks, until February 6, 2023, and is available on the Welsh Government website.
It will ask for opinions on the requirement for slaughterhouse operators to have CCTV in areas where live animals live; allow enforcement agencies to access footage; and to store said footage for 90 days.
It will also include questions on government proposals with regards to enhanced welfare provision, greater enforcement and costs to businesses; there were ten questions in total.
The purpose of the inclusion of CCTV cameras in slaughterhouses is to monitor animal welfare standards. The majority of slaughterhouses in Wales already have CCTV, and in England it has been a legal requirement since 2018.
