Thursday, December 24, 2009

Dutch police shoot dead escaped reindeer

Dutch police have shot dead four reindeer that escaped from a Christmas sleigh display, fearing they might run into traffic and cause accidents.

Police spokesman Dirk Neef in the northern Dutch province of Drenthe says animal experts attempted capturing the fourth reindeer on Tuesday by stunning it with tranquilliser darts but that proved impossible. Three of the animals were shot and killed hours after their escape on Saturday.

Video contains reindeer being shot.


Owner Willem Poelman says he purchased the reindeer for a show at his small business, "Poelman Donkey Park" in the city of Marum, 130 kilometres north of Amsterdam.

But the animals broke loose within minutes of their delivery from a supplier in Latvia.

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