HOW TO ESCAPE FROM A BULL
As a walker is gored to death while on a country stroll with his wife...
SURELY it’s the worst nightmare for country walkers — strolling along a public footpath in a field only to find yourself confronted by a bull.
When Roger Freeman, 63, found himself in this very situation on Underhill Farm in Stanford-on-Soar, Nottinghamshire, the encounter ended in tragedy.
In November 2010, he and his wife Glenis, now 70, were suddenly attacked. Mr Freeman died at the scene, while his wife required surgery.
The landowner, farmer Paul Waterfall, is on trial at Nottingham Crown Court, where he has been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence. He denies the charge.
But what should you do if you ever find yourself face to face with a bull? IF YOU can skirt a bull’s field, do. If there’s no other option, proceed with great caution and stay close to the fence, so you can climb over if the bull does approach.
‘Most bulls are perfectly safe,’ says Bill Dennie, who runs a bull dealership in Staffordshire. ‘Bulls aren’t aggressive as such. But you should never trust them.
‘We handle ours a lot — we put a halter on them and lead them and it’s no problem at all. But you never know for sure.
‘If you’re anxious and start running, they’ll get panicked. Just keep a good distance from them, walk calmly and they’ll go on eating the grass.’
WHAT ABOUT COWS?
AS YOU cross a field, don’t sit down for a picnic and don’t think cows are there to be petted.
‘Cattle will hear your crisp packet rustling from the other side of the field,’ says Debbie Connolly, an animal behaviourist and founder of Safe Pets UK.
‘They’ll want to eat, too. Don’t start thinking they’re cute and gesture them over, and don’t offer them a crisp.
‘They’re not primed to attack, but cattle are curious. It’s fine if they’re leaning over a fence. It’s more worrying when there isn’t one — they can easily hurt or even kill you accidentally.’
WHY DO BULLS ATTACK?
DESPITE their reputation, bulls are not naturally aggressive.
‘But they haven’t been as socialised as, say, horses,’ says Debbie Connolly. ‘Horses are used to being taught to get out of your way. Bulls aren’t. So don’t assume that bulls — or cows — have manners.’
‘A bull will be more likely to attack if he’s surrounded by cows in season that he’s going to mate with. If he sees you, he will think: “Move away, these are mine.” ’
Bulls are also more likely to attack a stranger than a farmer they are used to.
Connolly says: ‘I had a friend with a bull that escaped to a neighbouring farm. The farmer rang up, saying that the animal was dangerous.
‘We went over and the bull was thrilled to see my friend. He was just frightened. The neighbour had tried to herd him and the animal reacted defensively. The bull, which might attack a stranger, would be sweet with his own farmer.’
ANY WARNING SIGNS?
JUST like in a bullfight, an aggressive bull will paw the ground, toss its head, growl and stare at you. You will recognise the growl by its ‘rumph, rumph’ sound.
Some bulls will present their flanks to you to show how huge they are.
AND IF YOU SEE THESE SIGNS?
MAKE for the nearest gate or fence and climb over. Don’t sit or lie down, as this puts you at its mercy.
If you are thrown to the ground, try to get up and escape. Don’t lie still and hope it will lose interest. It won’t. WHAT IF YOU HAVE A DOG OR A CHILD WITH YOU? IT’S thought that bulls — and cows — see dogs as a kind of wolf and so turn aggressive when they see one.
Cows may become particularly concerned about dogs if they have their calves with them. Never walk your dog between a cow and its calves, and keep it on a leash.
If you stop to look at a map, it is better to tie up your dog on the other side of the fence.
If a bull charges, let your dog off the leash as quickly as possible — both you and your pet will get away faster.
Don’t worry about the dog — its instincts will tell it to run and it might draw the bull away from you.
If your child can’t run as fast as you, take them by the hand and run as quickly as possible. Carry a small child or baby in your arms.
ARE WOMEN SAFER?
MRS FREEMAN was convinced the bull saw her husband as a greater threat and continued to attack him.
‘I don’t know if bulls know you are male or female, but it kept going for Roger,’ she said.
However, bulls are just as likely to attack a woman as a man, though they may see someone who is more physically dominant as a target.
DOES RED SPELL DANGER?
THERE’S a common misconception that bulls are excited by the colour red because mata- dors use a red cape to goad them. But bulls are, in fact, colour blind.
Instead, they become agitated by the flapping of the cape, or muleta.
And it needn’t be a red cloth that gets them going: loose scarves or an unzipped jacket blowing in the wind may also aggravate them, so keep your clothing zipped up.
SHOULD YOU FIGHT BACK?
BECAUSE of their massive size and weight — up to 3,000lb — bulls are likely to come off better in any confrontation with a human. However, if you find yourself cornered, raw aggression is your last option.
‘Some bulls have a ring in their nose — if you give that a really good rap, it will definitely slow him down,’ says Bill Dennie. ‘Like all animals, they don’t like pain.’
As you run, throw your bag or coat behind you as a way of diverting the bull’s attention. You will also move faster with less to carry.
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?
THE law states farmers may keep bulls in a properly fenced field.
In the case of the Freemans, the prosecution claim that the farmer was aware of the supposed ‘deadly risk’ posed by the bull after it had allegedly been involved in two dangerous incidents.
Some farmers erect ‘Beware of the bull’ signs to stop you crossing their field — but that doesn’t absolve them of responsibility.
SHOULD YOU WORRY?
IF YOU take these precautions, you will almost certainly be safe. Cattle may wander over, but they almost always mean no harm — but even cows have been known to stampede and crush people to death.
If there is a bull, be cautious, stick to the field’s edges — and keep one eye on your escape route.