A Rare White Stag Roaming the Streets of an English Town Was Shot by Police

A rare white stag was shot by UK police after it spent hours running through the streets of an English town. 

The deer was spotted running around between Seaforth and Bootle in Merseyside, northwest England, on Sunday. Police said the decision to kill the stag was made to protect motorists and other members of the public.

NHS worker Paula, who gave only her first name, captured footage of the deer running down the road and told the Liverpool Echo, "It must have been quite scared and I genuinely have no idea where it was from."

A picture shared on social media shows the white stag running through a residential street with terraced houses.

Another video shared on social media shows it running through a park.

Merseyside Police said that armed police officers cornered the deer on an industrial estate. “A veterinary surgeon was called to scene to monitor the animals welfare and assist the officers attempts to control the animal,” a spokesperson said.

“Several enquiries were made to find an organisation who could assist with recovering the deer safely, but unfortunately we were unable to get assistance and as the hours went by the deer became more distressed.

“There was no option to let the deer wander as it could be a danger to motorists and members of the public in the area, particularly as the hours of darkness approached.

“As a result a decision was made in the early evening to euthanise the deer.”

Animal welfare charity the RSPCA advised the police to leave the deer as it would find its own way home. A spokesperson said, “Although deer traditionally live in forests, moors and parkland, they are becoming more common in urban environments across the UK. We do see deer in city centres – they usually live in large park areas but will follow canal paths and tramlines to make their way in and out of the cities.”

“In cases such as this where public safety is a consideration it is a matter for the police to deal with. It is possible that the deer could be sedated and then moved to a place of safety to be released, but this needs to be done with caution in a public area such as this one, as the deer could startle and run when hit by the dart. This could create a bigger public safety and animal welfare issue,” the spokesperson said.

According to the Times, white stags are rare creatures that are significant in myth and legend in many cultures, closely associated with unicorns. In celtic mythology they symbolise the presence of the Otherworld – a supernatural realm inhabited by deities. According to Arthurian legend the white stag is a beast that can never be caught – symbolising man’s quest for spiritual knowledge.