At least in Ireland they don't shoot them. As regular readers of this e-zine are aware, treatment of goats and lambs by the police force in Ireland, known as Gardai Siochana (Guardians of the Peace), figured prominently in our last two issues.

In the first incident two Gardai apprehended a marauding ram in a garage in Dunfanaghy, in the second such occurrence six Gardai corralled a lamb in a Dublin back garden. In both instances the use of force was minimal, and reflected honourably on all concerned.

Contrast that with the cold-blooded killing of a lone sheep by six (yes, six) armed British cops in Swindon, England, as reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation on December 11 last.

The animal had been found wandering on to roads at a busy roundabout, and according to a Wiltshire police spokeswoman it was a danger to the public.

"It was standing on the roundabout and at times wandering into the carriageway," she said.

"A decision was made to deploy armed police officers to destroy the animal as an absolute last resort."

An official statement released later said the sheep did not suffer unnecessarily.

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