Dispatch .

[grumpyoldsod]

Got a call to one of my permissions this afternoon to dispatch what they thought was an injured deer . Their poor dog was getting the blame as he was barking at it .
Upon arrival it was sat alert but obviously unable to stand so quickly dispatched with shot to head.
It very quickly became obvious that the dog had played no part in this !

 

[grumpyoldsod]

Not sure what I have done with the pictures , there should only be two

 

[re'M'ington]

Is that puss filled lumps on the ribcage? Any other pics?

 

[grumpyoldsod]

Is that puss filled lumps on the ribcage? Any other pics?

Yes it is ,it had several like that , I only had my phone to use for pictures and that didn't like working with my gloves on .

As soon as it became obvious that I wasn't going to feed the carcass to the dogs then I put the knife away and got the land owner to bury the carcass with his digger .

 

[Apache]

You mean you reported the carcase to AHPA as you are legally required to do so?!

 

[devon deer stalker]

As soon as it became obvious that I wasn't going to feed the carcass to the dogs then I put the knife away and got the land owner to bury the carcass with his digger .

OOPS, not the first time i have seen this result posted on this forum, you should have done what Apache said.
Not sure how you could rectify this now other than digging it up and taking samples for the vet, but it might be too late.
You are located in the SW, would that be England?
It's not always TB, but of the 2 deer i submitted for testing one deer was a confirmed case.
Cheers
Richard

 

[baguio]

And that is why all people shooting deer should hold DSC1 minimum. Not wishing or interested in starting another DSC argument and the OP knew that the carcass wasn't right (which a lot may not have even known) but he wasn't aware that he had an odligation to report such things. The BDS sell a handy little book with photos and phone numbers for just this reason http://www.bds.org.uk/index.php?opt...4&route=product/product&path=20&product_id=53 Money well spent IMO!

 

[willie_gunn]

Per Apache's post, it's well worthwhile to have the number of the local office of the Animal Plant & Health Authority saved in your mobile phone.

They have a handy-dandy postcode search facility: APHA - Postcode search - APHA Field Services

Sadly the web page provided in the Best Practice Guides - at least the UK version - is out of date on this

 

[Apache]

It's even easier than that - there is a single national number now for all contact - 03000 200 301

 

[willie_gunn]

It's even easier than that - there is a single national number now for all contact - 03000 200 301

Wow - that's incredibly logical! Well done them

 

[baguio]

It's even easier than that - there is a single national number now for all contact - 03000 200 301

That's now in my phone too! Thank you Apache.

 

[grumpyoldsod]

You mean you reported the carcase to AHPA as you are legally required to do so?!

Maybe not done right but I have had a long chat with a duty vet at the AHPA but she seemed happy with what I had done and got a couple of tips to get hold of the right person should I need to call again , there was also mention of a possible cost for testing samples .
Surely if there is a cost involved in reporting suspicions then very few will get reported !!

 

[grumpyoldsod]

OOPS, not the first time i have seen this result posted on this forum, you should have done what Apache said.
Not sure how you could rectify this now other than digging it up and taking samples for the vet, but it might be too late.
You are located in the SW, would that be England?
It's not always TB, but of the 2 deer i submitted for testing one deer was a confirmed case.
Cheers
Richard

Yes Richard probably not too far from you

Were you charged for submitting samples for testing ??

 

[grumpyoldsod]

And that is why all people shooting deer should hold DSC1 minimum. Not wishing or interested in starting another DSC argument and the OP knew that the carcass wasn't right (which a lot may not have even known) but he wasn't aware that he had an odligation to report such things. The BDS sell a handy little book with photos and phone numbers for just this reason http://www.bds.org.uk/index.php?opt...4&route=product/product&path=20&product_id=53 Money well spent IMO!

I have got DSC1, I knew about reporting but didn't have phone signal or contact numbers at the time ,I also had limited options with the carcass at that time and location , I didn't want to be moving it anywhere near where livestock was being housed .

 

[grumpyoldsod]

It's even easier than that - there is a single national number now for all contact - 03000 200 301

Thanks , saved that now

 

[devon deer stalker]

Yes Richard probably not too far from you

Were you charged for submitting samples for testing ??

No i wasn't charged, nor should anyone be charged for the testing, that is not correct.
They did try to charge me for disposal of the beasts but i stood my ground and refused to pay, but apparently you can be charged.
Knowing what i do now, i would call the number and take advice, they will ask for samples, but at that stage it is only 'suspected' so you could take it to the dealer and make the declaration on the tag, but common sense would tell you if it is pickled you wouldn't attempt to put it into the food chain would you?
Cheers
Richard

 

[grumpyoldsod]

No i wasn't charged, nor should anyone be charged for the testing, that is not correct.
They did try to charge me for disposal of the beasts but i stood my ground and refused to pay, but apparently you can be charged.
Knowing what i do now, i would call the number and take advice, they will ask for samples, but at that stage it is only 'suspected' so you could take it to the dealer and make the declaration on the tag, but common sense would tell you if it is pickled you wouldn't attempt to put it into the food chain would you?
Cheers
Richard

I don't think that I would be welcome back at the game dealers if I left a carcass like that hanging there no matter what was written on the tag !!

 

[baguio]

I have got DSC1, I knew about reporting but didn't have phone signal or contact numbers at the time ,I also had limited options with the carcass at that time and location , I didn't want to be moving it anywhere near where livestock was being housed .

Whilst the vet may well have asked the farmer to bury the carcass too, the decision wasn't yours to make. The carcass cannot now be tested so the disease is un confirmed. What would you have done if you had found blisters on it's feet and around it's mouth? I'm sure that you now realise that you should have moved to somewhere with a phone signal and contacted the vet one way or another. As stalkers of cloven footed animals, we all have a responsibility to do the right thing and not what is the most convenient thing for us at the time! What is the point in taking DSC1 and then ignoring what you're taught? Rant over.
On the plus side, you're not the first person to make this mistake and probably will not be the last, however lots will learn from this post so some good has almost certainly come of it.

 

[Buchan]

I'm slightly concerned by the reported response of the APHA vet as there should be no charge for testing of deer for notifiable diseases. There will be an APHA get out if there is no wildlife surveillance in that area. Sadly, I've heard this sort of thing before, so I suggest anyone reporting suspect deer should make a note of the person they speak to. The wildlife surveillance zones SHOULD be well known, but I'm afraid APHA are poor in this regard.

 

[grumpyoldsod]

Called the APHA to ask about possible charges for testing , They got someone to call me back and confirmed that DEFRA would pay for any testing .
I was a little surprised to be told that should I have another carcass that I suspect of TB that they do not require the carcass to be made available but that they would like samples to be kept for collection and testing .