Episode 8 Animal 24:7


Episode 8

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Britain's animals are under threat.

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All too often our wildlife and domestic pets

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are the victims of cruelty, persecution and neglect.

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Fighting to save them is a dedicated band of people

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trying to protect and care for them right around the clock.

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This is Animal 24:7.

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Today on Animal 24:7...

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Is this your dog?

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Tempers run high...

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Stay still or I'll arrest you.

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..as we go on patrol with the dangerous dogs team.

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Don't get aggressive, cos if you do, you won't be getting your dog back.

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There's a duvet day for the deer that went garden hopping.

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And I'm on the night shift with a country vet...

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..battling to save an unborn calf.

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It's turned round on itself.

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-Just the wrong way up?

-Yup. COW MOOS

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Dangerous dogs are responsible

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for around 5,000 injuries to people every year,

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costing the NHS nearly £3.5 million.

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The issue of banned breeds being kept illegally

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is especially bad in London,

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where the police and local authorities

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are doing all they can to tackle the problem.

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Newham, in London's bustling East End.

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This is the well-trodden beat

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of animal welfare officer Tina Delaney.

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It's a tough patch, where dogs aren't always man's best friend.

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It's Tina's job to track down dangerous dogs

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and make sure the public aren't at risk.

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In the past year, her team have seized 100 dogs,

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39 of them illegal pit bull terriers.

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Today, she has a potential problem owner on her hands.

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The person allegedly lets their dog out unattended in a public place,

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which is an offence

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and when it's out, it growls at people,

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which contravenes Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act.

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As they approach the house,

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Tina and PC Paul Delivett can hear barking inside.

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Hello? We're from animal welfare.

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But whoever owns the dog isn't keen to respond.

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-That was a person, that was.

-Hm.

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The dogs have moved.

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And Tina's presence suddenly has a dramatic effect.

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Paul, they're going over the back! They're going over the back!

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They've... Somebody's just jumped over the back garden,

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which looks like with a pit bull.

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SHE KNOCKS DOOR

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Pit bulls are one of four types of dog banned in the UK

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and Tina's not going to take any chances.

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She readies her baton to protect herself in the event of an attack.

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Cautiously, they search the garden

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to see if there's a sign of either a dog or its owner.

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They've obviously...

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They've come out the window,

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they've come along here and gone over the wall there...

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..with a dog.

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Now we're knocking on the door, there's no sign of dogs

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and no barking,

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but when we arrived, it was obvious there were dogs on the property.

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But they're not any longer.

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For now, Tina has to resign herself to the fact she's been outrun.

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-Looks like they've come over there.

-No, I stayed there...

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It's one of the frustrations of trying to clamp down on illegal dogs,

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she'll come back with a warrant.

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Does that look like a pit to you?

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But as soon as she leaves the house,

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Tina spots another dog in the park opposite,

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which gives her cause for concern.

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That dog that's playing over there on the grass,

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looks like a pit bull.

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We'll go and have a talk.

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With the potentially dangerous dog

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roaming off the lead in a public space,

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Tina needs to get a closer look.

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Is this your dog?

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-No, it's my son's.

-Your son's dog?

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-Is your son here?

-No, he's working.

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-Right, OK.

-PAUL: Eh, no!

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You have to wait a minute.

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The man claims his son's dog is a Shar Pei cross

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and doesn't seem keen to cooperate.

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Stay still, stay still or I'll arrest you.

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-Stay still.

-Good boy.

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Everyone's clearly upset.

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It seems this is a loved family pet called Romeo.

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Staff Shar Pei.

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And now Mum has turned up to see what all the fuss is about.

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You've had it looked at?

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But concerned that the dog is a pit bull type,

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Tina has the power to seize it.

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OK, what I want to do is to arrange for your dog

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to have an assessment,

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to make sure it's not a pit bull terrier type dog.

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OK?

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One of the things that I'm concerned about

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is that it has a pit bull type in it.

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It has been bred with a pit bull.

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Now, it has got quite a wrinkly face, which is a Shar Pei trait.

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OK, it has got that, but at the end of the day,

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it still has quite a lot of visual pit bull traits, as well.

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There are specific tests which determine whether a dog

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is a pit bull,

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but with all her experience,

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Tina often has a good idea straightaway.

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Because we're not allowed to do that, I'm afraid.

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Despite the family's protests,

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she's concerned that Romeo here is no romantic.

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ROMEO BARKS

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Does he usually show people aggression?

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MOTHER: Romeo, Romeo?

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What I'm bothered about is if your dog behaves like that

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to strangers in a public place...

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Yeah, cos they don't know him.

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MOTHER: Exactly, cos they don't know, the people.

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He's not the only one who'd do that.

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I'm sorry, but that's not acceptable behaviour

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in a public place.

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I'm going to give you a receipt now for your dog

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to tell you that I've seized him under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

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Tina's decision dismays the family and tempers start to run high.

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Don't get aggressive with me, cos if you do,

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you won't be getting your dog back.

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I'm trying to advise you... What you're saying to me...

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OK, I understand that you're upset cos we're taking your dog.

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D'you know what, I'm just going to give you that.

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You can read it, I won't advise you. Let's go.

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Tina decides it's time to leave before things boil over

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and Romeo seems to be upset to be separated from his family.

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ROMEO YELPS

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It is a sad moment but not necessarily goodbye.

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Even if he's confirmed as a banned breed,

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a court order could allow the family to keep Romeo.

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Good boy!

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At first glance, Tina thinks he is a pit bull.

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He's quite square to look at him. He's very athletic looking.

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He's got elliptical eyes, even though his eyes are very sore.

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He's got quite well-developed cheeks

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and as you can see, he kind of leans forward, which is a pit bull trait.

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Because he doesn't behave OK with strangers, which is apparent,

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so we need to make sure that the dog is a safe dog in a public place.

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-Romeo's assessment will take place within the next few days.

-Up!

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Good boy! Come on, now.

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His family must now wait to see if he's classed as a pit bull

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and whether he's safe to keep as a pet.

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Still to come...

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Hello, open up, otherwise I'll smash your door in.

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No escape this time, as Tina returns for the one that got away.

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About a month ago we came to this house

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and a man left from the back window with a dog.

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And wayward wildlife leads to the tangle of deer...and duvet.

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His little heart is racing, though.

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The Lake District is famed for its rugged hills

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and those stunning views,

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but this is a farmed landscape

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and that means a lot of animals

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that have to be kept fit and healthy.

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I'm here to spend 24 hours with a vet

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who never knows what's coming next.

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Helping all creatures great and small amid sweeping views,

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a country vet's life seems idyllic

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but maybe it's not such a walk in the park.

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I've only just met Andrew Robinson

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and already we're on an emergency call.

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Andrew, what are we going to do?

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We're going to go and see a cow that's down with milk fever.

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Basically, it's a milk cow, she will have calved fairly recently

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and she's put so much calcium into her milk,

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that there isn't enough left in her blood system.

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So her blood has got a low calcium level

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and we're going to go and give her some additional calcium

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straight into the vein.

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How serious can this be?

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She could be dead within half an hour to an hour.

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Harriet the cow gave birth to twins two days ago.

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This caused a rush of calcium to her udder,

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but Andrew suspects that in an effort to care for her young,

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she's left herself short.

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Without enough calcium in her blood, she is heading for a heart attack.

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As we arrive at the farm, there's no time to waste.

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So, basically, what we need is a stethoscope and thermometer

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and we'll get in there and just have a quick check over of her.

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Farmer Tony Kirk has been watching Harriet closely all weekend

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and like Andrew, suspects that she's suffering from milk fever.

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But it's vital to make sure this IS the case before carrying on.

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The first thing I want to do is just check her temperature,

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cos there's various things that can be affecting her at this stage

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after calving.

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I want to make sure that we get the right diagnosis.

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Temperature's a wee bit up.

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Should be 101 and a bit.

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She's sitting at just over 103.

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Harriet is definitely running a fever.

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Andrew listens to her heart to see how that's been affected.

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When they're low in calcium,

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the heart muscle can't get enough blood out,

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so it tends to go very quiet and very fast.

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So we're listening for her heart rate and the strength of the beat.

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And she is quite fast.

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So she is still low, so she does need some more calcium.

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A swift and accurate diagnosis is crucial,

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but if Harriet is going to survive,

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then we've got to be quick with the treatment.

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What are all these different things?

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You've got bottles of calcium there with the red top.

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You've got some magnesium there, as well.

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And that's the actual equipment that we use to get it into a vein.

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-Is this still a life-threatening condition?

-Yes, more so.

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Harriet is dying from a lack of calcium

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and Andrew wastes no time in getting a line into her vein.

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But despite the urgency, this part cannot be rushed.

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We can't put it in too quickly,

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because if we do, we'll give her a heart attack.

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We've just got to let it trickle in, nice and gently.

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That's it, now we're going to give her a drink.

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Harriet's also severely dehydrated

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and it's down to me to prepare her a potentially life-saving drink

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with added calcium and magnesium for good measure.

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This is a first, I've never mixed up medicine for a sick cow.

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I do hope it works.

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Oof!

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It doesn't look or smell too good.

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I'm going to pop this in her mouth.

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And Harriet's in no mood to drink.

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But we have to get this solution inside her.

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It might look brutal, but this could save her life.

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I'm going to get you, Tom,

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to basically...

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..pump that water into that cow, please.

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Right, got it.

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All right, it's good for you, honest.

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After I prepare and pump gallons of the solution into Harriet,

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there's nothing left to do but wait and watch.

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And then, suddenly...

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Hello, hello! Look, look! Wow!

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-Now that's a recovery!

-TOM LAUGHS

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Well, there you are, Tom.

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That's what your drink has done for that cow.

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That's amazing, she just got up and walked!

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-That was a Lazarus moment.

-Yes.

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From life-threatening to lively in the space of quarter of an hour.

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Yeah, couldn't ask for more.

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Brilliant. She's going to eat, too! Fantastic, well done!

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Thanks to Andrew's quick thinking, Harriet is back on her feet

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and on the swift road to recovery.

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No time to celebrate though, day has turned to night

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but there's more work to do.

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Straightaway, we've heard about another cow in crisis.

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Samantha is trying to give birth but her calf is facing the wrong way

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and the farmer is worried.

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The calf has turned round inside the cow

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and he can't get it straightened up,

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so he wants me to go and straighten the calf up

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and then to calve the cow.

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Once again, what kind of seriousness is this?

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Well, it depends how quickly the farmer's actually found the calving.

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We're looking at potentially trying to save the calf and the cow's life.

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We arrive just before midnight.

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I can tell that Andrew's concerned and keen to get started.

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-This is the lady in question?

-This is the cow.

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You can see from the way her tail's sticking up in the air,

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that's a sign that she wants to be on in calving.

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But if things stay like this, Samantha will deteriorate quickly.

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Andrew needs to see how the calf is positioned.

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I'm just going to go in and have a feel for myself...where this calf is.

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If all was well, the calf would be shaped as though ready to dive out,

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but Andrew knows that's not the case.

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So basically, it's turned round on itself,

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so what I'm going to try and do, is roll it back round again.

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-Its head's still at the right end but just the wrong way up?

-Yup.

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So you're literally trying to turn it the other way up?

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I'm trying to roll this calf around.

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With the calf twisted onto its back like this,

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it will be ingesting too much fluid,

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effectively drowning inside the womb.

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Andrew is running out of time to save it.

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Still to come...

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Can Andrew turn things round and deliver the calf?

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I'm fairly strong but I won't pull this calf out of the cow on my own.

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And Tina spots another possible pit bull.

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Yep, take him.

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Take him.

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There are plenty of places in the UK

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which provide the perfect opportunity

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for seeing wild animals in their natural habitat,

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but when those animals drop into our world,

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it can mean they're in trouble and often need our help.

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Just outside Bristol,

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an unexpected visitor has arrived in a back garden...

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a roe deer that's lost and frightened.

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RSPCA inspector Kim Downes has been called.

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Apparently, the deer's fallen into somebody's garden,

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it's now in quite an enclosed area and it can't get out.

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We're not sure yet of any injuries

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but yeah, just going to go and have a look and assess the situation

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and see what we can do.

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There are lots of deer in this area, particularly roe deer,

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so unfortunately, we do get quite a few calls for them.

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Unfortunately, often it's when they've been hit by cars.

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A wild animal in an unfamiliar environment can be unpredictable.

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For Gerald Davidson and his son Scott,

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the novelty of a wildlife park in their back garden has worn off.

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-If you look out that window...

-Yeah.

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..you'll see it laid down round the corner,

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just the back of it in a minute.

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You can see it's done a bit of damage.

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All I can see is the back end of a deer. It looks like it's lying down.

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Ideally, you'd like to get it out from there and get it released.

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Kim is experienced in dealing with potentially volatile wild animals.

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She knows all the tricks of the trade

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and her plan involves using a simple duvet.

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The best thing we'd do is to cover their heads.

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My intention is to literally throw a duvet and jump on it

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and then if someone can bring through the kennel,

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I'll pop it in the kennel.

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I'll have a quick look at it.

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That's the plan anyway!

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Whether it goes to plan, we don't know, but that's the plan.

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Covering the deer's eyes with the duvet

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should reduce his stress levels.

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It will also provide protective padding that could be vital for Kim.

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My concerns are that obviously it's a wild animal,

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so the minute I go out there, it's in a confined space,

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it's likely to panic, it's going to jump up.

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Deer have quite sharp hooves, as well,

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so I need to be quite careful,

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to think about my own health and safety.

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Kim approaches the deer very cautiously,

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hoping not to spook it with any sudden movements or sounds.

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OK, so I can see a sort of young male stag...

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..sort of roe deer.

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She keeps the duvet raised to protect HER

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if the deer chooses to run.

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But as she approaches, he doesn't seem concerned

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and Kim takes the chance to have a closer look at him.

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Can't see any injuries,

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it's obviously got a slight scrape on its hind leg.

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Now she edges closer

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and gets within touching distance of the young stag

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before making her move.

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Gerald has to lend a hand.

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That's it, well done.

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The deer is unaware that Kim's only trying to help him

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and even though the duvet's doing its job,

0:19:130:19:15

he's still very scared.

0:19:150:19:17

His little heart is racing though, so...

0:19:190:19:22

Now the challenge is getting the deer out of the bedding

0:19:230:19:26

and into the portable kennel.

0:19:260:19:28

And after a bit of a struggle...

0:19:320:19:34

There we go, it's in.

0:19:350:19:37

..he's safely locked in.

0:19:370:19:38

Get you back to where you belong!

0:19:400:19:42

With the deer secure, it's now become clear how he arrived here -

0:19:440:19:47

taking the aerial route from a neighbour's raised garden.

0:19:470:19:51

You can see the hair there, so it's definitely come in that way.

0:19:510:19:55

He obviously didn't realise, that this was...

0:19:550:19:58

He wouldn't be able to walk on this metal meshing.

0:19:580:20:00

His adventures have left him with a few battle scars.

0:20:000:20:03

He's got a slight bit of blood coming from his mouth.

0:20:030:20:06

Nothing too drastic, he's probably scratched it

0:20:060:20:09

or bitten his tongue when he was panicking.

0:20:090:20:11

We'll give our wildlife team a quick ring and just check that

0:20:110:20:15

they think it's sensible to release him.

0:20:150:20:17

Kim makes the quick call back to base

0:20:170:20:20

to discuss her plans for the deer.

0:20:200:20:23

All right, thanks for your advice, bye, bye!

0:20:250:20:28

And as his injuries aren't serious, it's agreed

0:20:280:20:31

that an immediate release is the best course of action.

0:20:310:20:34

Just a short drive away, this woodland is the ideal spot.

0:20:410:20:46

Scott is on hand to help and say goodbye to his unwelcome lodger.

0:20:470:20:51

Thank you.

0:20:540:20:55

-Got him?

-Yeah.

0:20:550:20:57

Right... What we'll do is carry it over here.

0:20:570:21:00

Kim takes the kennel apart

0:21:020:21:05

to make the deer's exit just a little simpler.

0:21:050:21:08

Right.

0:21:090:21:11

It's a really good feeling to see the deer released

0:21:150:21:17

into this large area, after seeing him confined

0:21:170:21:20

and looking quite distressed in that small area,

0:21:200:21:23

where he shouldn't have been.

0:21:230:21:24

It's a good feeling to actually release them,

0:21:240:21:27

and they run off like that,

0:21:270:21:29

and it makes you, er... feel proud of what you do.

0:21:290:21:31

-Still to come...

-Take him.

0:21:350:21:37

..Tina tackles another owner about a potentially dangerous dog.

0:21:370:21:41

I'm seizing your dog, I believe him to be a pit bull-type dog.

0:21:410:21:45

Now we're heading back to Cumbria,

0:21:490:21:51

where I was out with country vet Andrew Robinson.

0:21:510:21:55

Earlier, we saw how he was called

0:21:550:21:57

to save the life of a cow which had collapsed after giving birth

0:21:570:22:00

due to a lack of calcium in her blood.

0:22:000:22:03

It's now after midnight,

0:22:030:22:05

and Andrew's responding to another emergency,

0:22:050:22:08

this time to rescue an unborn calf.

0:22:080:22:11

'Samantha the cow is ready to give birth.

0:22:150:22:18

'But there are problems.'

0:22:180:22:20

-It's turned round on itself.

-'The calf is upside down.'

0:22:200:22:24

-Its head's at the right end, but just the wrong way up?

-Yeah.

0:22:240:22:27

'With the calf on its back,

0:22:270:22:29

'it could ingest too much fluid and just drown inside the womb.'

0:22:290:22:33

I'm trying to roll this calf around.

0:22:330:22:37

'Andrew is battling to save it.'

0:22:370:22:39

Right, the calf is starting to swim up and round, so I'm twisting...

0:22:390:22:43

-Is that a good sign?

-There's some more fluid, that's a good sign.

0:22:430:22:47

That shows that we're undoing the twist.

0:22:470:22:49

'Eventually, Andrew turns the calf round.'

0:22:490:22:52

If you could pass me that long handle, please, Tom.

0:22:520:22:55

'Now to get it out, and for this he needs a little help.'

0:22:550:22:58

-That's it.

-What is this machine?

-This is a calving aid.

0:22:580:23:01

So whereas I'm fairly strong

0:23:010:23:05

but I won't pull this calf out of the cow on my own,

0:23:050:23:09

so this just gives me a bit of extra...force.

0:23:090:23:12

'It might look like an instrument of torture,

0:23:140:23:16

'but speed is of the essence, so this is the safest option.

0:23:160:23:20

'Ropes are attached to the calf, and all that's left now is to pull.'

0:23:200:23:24

If I just gently lever it down a little bit, there's the head.

0:23:260:23:31

It's got a lot of fluid coming out of its nose,

0:23:310:23:33

because it's been in there a long time, waiting for this.

0:23:330:23:37

-Now it'll fly out.

-Whoa!

-There we go.

0:23:390:23:42

And there's a lovely hot, live calf...so...

0:23:420:23:47

Oh, how sweet!

0:23:470:23:49

'Andrew has quite literally turned things around,

0:23:490:23:51

'but while Samantha is safe,

0:23:510:23:53

'her calf has liquid in her lungs and is not out of the woods yet.'

0:23:530:23:57

You hang them up just to let any excess fluid that isn't drained out.

0:23:570:24:02

You're just letting gravity drain the fluid out.

0:24:020:24:05

But that's a lovely healthy calf.

0:24:050:24:07

-Is it a boy or a girl, John?

-Girl.

-Girl?

0:24:070:24:09

When it comes to knowing what the calf needs,

0:24:090:24:12

it really is the case of mother knows best.

0:24:120:24:15

A good mother is worth any drug that I've got in the back of my car

0:24:150:24:18

for getting this calf on its feet as soon as possible.

0:24:180:24:21

The cows actually lick the calves in a specific way,

0:24:210:24:24

so the cow will start from the back of the calf and will lick forwards,

0:24:240:24:29

all the time pushing the fluid away from the calf's lungs.

0:24:290:24:34

With this in mind, Andrew is keen to reunite Samantha

0:24:340:24:38

and her newborn calf as soon as possible.

0:24:380:24:40

COW MOOS

0:24:400:24:42

And sure enough, she plays her part.

0:24:420:24:45

Well, just as Andrew predicted,

0:24:510:24:53

the mother's licking the newborn calf back to front,

0:24:530:24:56

pushing that fluid off.

0:24:560:24:58

He's done his bit, now it's time for nature to do her bit.

0:24:580:25:03

And together they seem to have worked very well.

0:25:030:25:06

It's the morning after the dramatic night before.

0:25:130:25:16

But there's no chance to enjoy the beautiful Cumbrian scenery.

0:25:160:25:20

First thing, we're off up to the coast,

0:25:200:25:23

because Andrew has to carry out

0:25:230:25:26

his monthly pregnancy checks at a local dairy farm.

0:25:260:25:29

-Watch your heads.

-'For Lindsay Walker and her team,

0:25:330:25:36

'the name of the game is milking cows,

0:25:360:25:38

'and that means they need them to be pregnant.'

0:25:380:25:41

-These are the ladies for me this morning.

-They are, yeah!

0:25:410:25:45

'Modern dairy farming is hi-tech, but nature has to take its course.'

0:25:450:25:48

She's had a visit from the bull a few weeks ago,

0:25:480:25:51

-and you want to see if it was successful, basically.

-Absolutely!

0:25:510:25:54

So fingers crossed.

0:25:540:25:57

'And just like with humans, an ultrasound scan will reveal all.'

0:25:570:26:01

We'll put the scanner on, insert...the probe.

0:26:010:26:06

What you can see on the screen now, Tom,

0:26:060:26:08

is those black holes at the top, black is fluid,

0:26:080:26:11

so that's a good sign for a start, and that there...

0:26:110:26:15

..is the calf.

0:26:150:26:18

We can actually check now and see that the heart's beating.

0:26:180:26:22

-And this is what you want to see, a healthy little foetus.

-Yeah, yeah!

0:26:220:26:26

'But there's no time for champagne!'

0:26:290:26:31

We've got more in the waiting room, high-volume veterinary action here.

0:26:310:26:36

'There are 40 would-be mums to get through.'

0:26:360:26:39

Go on!

0:26:390:26:40

And there is the calf.

0:26:420:26:44

'Although it's not always good news.'

0:26:450:26:48

Unfortunately, in this case, what we can't see is a calf.

0:26:480:26:51

'For the disappointed cows, there'll be another chance soon.'

0:26:510:26:55

-Quite a production line, you have to keep them going through.

-Yeah.

0:26:550:26:59

It looks like Andrew wants to tell you something.

0:26:590:27:01

-She's in calf.

-Oh, that's good.

-More good news.

-Yeah.

0:27:010:27:04

'The pregnancy checks are over, but there's more work to do.

0:27:070:27:10

'After recently giving birth, another cow has problems.'

0:27:100:27:14

-There is still some infection inside the womb.

-Can it be serious?

0:27:140:27:19

Well, if we leave it, what will happen is it will increase in volume,

0:27:190:27:23

and the cow potentially could die

0:27:230:27:25

within a couple of weeks if she's left untreated.

0:27:250:27:28

'With a super-size syringe,

0:27:280:27:30

'we have to inject antibiotics directly into the cow's womb,

0:27:300:27:35

'and Andrew's trusting me to do it.'

0:27:350:27:37

That's great, put the whole lot in.

0:27:370:27:39

This injection really needs to get to the source of infection.

0:27:390:27:42

Definitely, this is a very important one,

0:27:420:27:45

so you're putting that straight into that cow's womb.

0:27:450:27:48

You can push the whole lot in. That's it, excellent.

0:27:480:27:51

And then we just slowly withdraw the tube. Thank you very much.

0:27:510:27:55

My first veterinary treatment on a cow.

0:27:550:27:58

I don't know why I needed seven years' training.

0:27:580:28:01

Making sure the cows are fit and well

0:28:010:28:04

is vital for the productivity of this dairy farm.

0:28:040:28:06

With Andrew's visit over,

0:28:060:28:08

it's time for the mums to get some well-deserved rest.

0:28:080:28:11

Still to come: Face to face with a more exotic patient.

0:28:180:28:22

A feisty zebra needs a pedicure.

0:28:220:28:25

These are animals that, if they get too scared, will either kill you

0:28:250:28:29

or throw themselves so hard at a fence that they'll break their necks.

0:28:290:28:33

The battle to protect the public from dangerous dogs

0:28:370:28:40

can be a real challenge.

0:28:400:28:42

Some owners simply don't know that their pet is a banned breed.

0:28:420:28:47

Others do their very best to avoid detection.

0:28:470:28:50

In east London, animal welfare officer Tina Delaney

0:28:500:28:53

has a tough job on her hands.

0:28:530:28:56

Earlier, we were with Tina

0:29:000:29:01

on the trail of a potentially dangerous dog.

0:29:010:29:05

They're going over the back.

0:29:050:29:07

-But the owner gave her the slip...

-It looks like a pit.

0:29:070:29:09

..giving Tina only a glimpse of the suspicious hound.

0:29:090:29:12

Now she's returned with police backup and a warrant.

0:29:140:29:19

Because the dog is known to be aggressive to neighbours,

0:29:190:29:22

I'm just going to take a few precautions.

0:29:220:29:24

So if the dog does come out,

0:29:240:29:25

or he decides that he's going to allow the dog to attack us,

0:29:250:29:28

then at least we have some protection.

0:29:280:29:31

This time, they make sure the back of the house is covered,

0:29:340:29:38

and they're determined to get in, whatever it takes.

0:29:380:29:42

Open up, I don't want to smash your door in.

0:29:430:29:46

But there's no escape attempt this time,

0:29:480:29:51

and Tina is able to tackle the owner over the complaints.

0:29:510:29:54

OK, you've only got one dog on the premises, have you? OK?

0:29:540:29:58

BARKING

0:29:580:30:01

It's all right.

0:30:010:30:03

Tina is sure this isn't the dog she saw being taken away last time.

0:30:030:30:08

-Good girl! Has there ever been another dog on the premises?

-No.

0:30:080:30:12

About a month ago, we came to this house,

0:30:120:30:14

-and a man left from the back window with a dog.

-Oh, no...

0:30:140:30:18

The owner says this is the only dog that lives here.

0:30:180:30:21

Tina can see it's not a banned breed and seems well behaved.

0:30:210:30:25

Hello! Are you a good girl?

0:30:250:30:27

OK, then, thank you very much. Thank you.

0:30:270:30:30

For Tina, this is confusing and frustrating.

0:30:300:30:33

That's not the same dog as before, there was two dogs before.

0:30:330:30:37

That is a crossbreed. No.

0:30:370:30:39

She'll continue to monitor this house.

0:30:390:30:41

She states there wasn't a gentleman who jumped out the back garden.

0:30:410:30:45

We give people the benefit of the doubt,

0:30:450:30:47

and what we'll just have to do is keep a check,

0:30:470:30:49

and if the other dog comes back, we'll come back again with a warrant.

0:30:490:30:52

Tina is back on the road.

0:30:550:30:58

She has another call to make.

0:30:580:31:01

In the capital,

0:31:010:31:02

around a thousand dangerous dogs are seized every year,

0:31:020:31:05

and there's an increasing awareness of the problem.

0:31:050:31:09

Tina has received a tip-off from a worried member of the public.

0:31:090:31:13

We're going to an address

0:31:130:31:14

where it's alleged that the guy got a dog from a rescue

0:31:140:31:18

and it may be a pit bull terrier,

0:31:180:31:19

so we're just going to have a look and have a chat with the gentleman

0:31:190:31:23

and take it from there.

0:31:230:31:24

-The dog is brought out.

-Oi, behave yourself!

-Hello!

0:31:240:31:29

There are tests to determine whether a dog is a pit bull,

0:31:290:31:33

but Tina's trained eye can usually spot a banned breed.

0:31:330:31:37

-Hello! Is he all right with strange people?

-Yeah, yeah.

0:31:370:31:40

-Yeah? Hello. What's his name?

-Er...Kenco.

0:31:400:31:43

And although Kenco doesn't seem aggressive,

0:31:430:31:46

Tina immediately suspects he is a pit bull.

0:31:460:31:49

Right, OK. Hello, Kenco.

0:31:490:31:52

Right, Kenco. Kenco's coming with us.

0:31:520:31:56

She has to seize Kenco.

0:31:560:31:58

Yeah, take him. Take him.

0:31:580:32:01

And now she needs to speak to his owner.

0:32:010:32:04

-Where did you purchase him from?

-It wasn't purchased.

0:32:040:32:07

It was rescued from a flat in, erm...Dagenham Heathway.

0:32:070:32:10

-OK, and how long have you had him?

-Erm, since Thursday afternoon.

0:32:100:32:14

Right, OK. What breed did you think he was?

0:32:140:32:16

Pit-slash-bulldog.

0:32:160:32:20

Right, OK. I'm seizing your dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act,

0:32:200:32:23

-because I believe him to be a pit bull-type dog.

-OK.

0:32:230:32:26

He needs another assessment done, a proper, full assessment done,

0:32:260:32:29

but an initial visual assessment,

0:32:290:32:32

then I do think he will conform to be a pit bull type.

0:32:320:32:34

The owner says he had no idea this might be a banned breed.

0:32:360:32:40

If he does conform, is it something you would consider, wanting him back?

0:32:400:32:44

-Er...no.

-No.

0:32:440:32:45

He doesn't want to keep a potentially dangerous pet.

0:32:450:32:49

He also owns a poodle

0:32:490:32:50

and thought he was just giving another dog a good home.

0:32:500:32:54

If you actually want another dog,

0:32:540:32:56

the best thing is, so you don't turn out having another pit bull,

0:32:560:33:00

is to go to a rescue.

0:33:000:33:01

If you go to a rescue organisation,

0:33:010:33:03

-you're not likely to be re-homed a pit bull type.

-OK.

-OK, then?

0:33:030:33:06

If Kenco is confirmed as a pit bull, he can't be re-homed

0:33:060:33:11

and he'll be put to sleep.

0:33:110:33:13

Public safety has to be the ultimate concern.

0:33:130:33:15

But even for dogs that are on the banned list,

0:33:190:33:22

it doesn't always have to end this way.

0:33:220:33:24

This is Romeo.

0:33:260:33:28

Tina spotted him in a park a few weeks ago,

0:33:280:33:30

suspecting him to be a pit bull.

0:33:300:33:32

I've seized him under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

0:33:320:33:35

-Romeo's family weren't happy.

-Don't get aggressive with me.

0:33:350:33:39

I understand that you're upset we're taking your dog.

0:33:390:33:42

Tests have confirmed that Romeo is a pit bull-type dog,

0:33:420:33:46

but his owners have received a court order

0:33:460:33:48

allowing them to keep a banned breed

0:33:480:33:50

so long as they abide by a number of strict conditions.

0:33:500:33:54

Today Romeo has an appointment with the vet

0:33:540:33:56

to make sure he meets the criteria of an exempted dog.

0:33:560:34:00

It was agreed we'd make an application to the court

0:34:000:34:03

for Romeo to go back to his owner.

0:34:030:34:05

As part of those conditions, he has to be castrated,

0:34:050:34:07

and one of the reasons for that

0:34:070:34:09

is so that he doesn't reproduce other pit bull-type dogs.

0:34:090:34:13

In addition, he has to be tattooed.

0:34:150:34:18

He's already been microchipped, he's got his insurance,

0:34:180:34:22

and he's on the Defra register,

0:34:220:34:23

which means he's legal to go home once his operation is complete.

0:34:230:34:27

But he will have to be muzzled and on the lead in public,

0:34:270:34:30

and he can never change ownership.

0:34:300:34:32

A few hours after Romeo's treatment, it's time for him to go home.

0:34:390:34:43

After their successful battle to make sure Romeo mustn't die,

0:34:430:34:47

his family are anxiously lining up to see him.

0:34:470:34:51

Look who it is, Romeo, look!

0:34:510:34:52

There is clearly a lot of love here for Romeo.

0:34:580:35:01

ROMEO WHINES

0:35:010:35:04

But Tina spells out the requirements that still needs to be fulfilled.

0:35:040:35:08

So I've not muzzled him from the van,

0:35:080:35:10

because he might be sick, he's just out of anaesthetic.

0:35:100:35:13

If he is sick for the next couple of hours, don't worry.

0:35:130:35:16

The only other thing you need to do from now on is,

0:35:160:35:19

in public places, you must keep him on a muzzle and a lead.

0:35:190:35:22

Romeo's owner, John, couldn't imagine life without his dog.

0:35:220:35:26

I was willing to pay anything to get him back,

0:35:260:35:28

and...it means the world to me.

0:35:280:35:31

He is here now, I can enjoy him again.

0:35:310:35:34

He ain't been here for some time, it ain't been the same.

0:35:340:35:38

I mean, yeah, he's back now, so...

0:35:380:35:40

It's the sort of outcome that Tina rarely sees.

0:35:400:35:43

As far as we're concerned, responsible owners,

0:35:430:35:46

there's absolutely no problem with a dog being made legal

0:35:460:35:49

and going back to the family, and it's a nice finish to the story

0:35:490:35:55

that in some cases we do have nice pits and they do go home.

0:35:550:35:58

This family's willingness to go the extra mile

0:35:580:36:01

means this Romeo hasn't met a tragic end.

0:36:010:36:04

OK, then, thank you very much. Thank you, take care.

0:36:040:36:06

If there's any questions, give us a call.

0:36:060:36:09

Thank you very much, cheers, bye-bye. Bye, Romeo. Thank you, bye.

0:36:090:36:12

Now it's time to return to Cumbria,

0:36:160:36:18

where earlier I was on work experience

0:36:180:36:21

with country vet Andrew Robinson.

0:36:210:36:23

Andrew spends most of his time working with farm animals,

0:36:230:36:27

but sometimes the local wildlife park requires his services as well.

0:36:270:36:31

So now it's time for me to really earn my stripes.

0:36:310:36:35

At Trotters World Of Animals near Keswick,

0:36:430:36:46

there's something nasty afoot.

0:36:460:36:48

Winnie the zebra has a deformed hoof,

0:36:490:36:52

causing her lots of discomfort.

0:36:520:36:55

We're here to give her a trim.

0:36:550:36:58

It sounds like a simple pedicure to me,

0:36:580:37:00

but Andrew's adamant that it's not the sort of thing

0:37:000:37:03

that can be done on the hoof.

0:37:030:37:05

Is it as simple as a horse with stripes?

0:37:050:37:08

Not at all, I mean, these are wild animals,

0:37:080:37:11

you know, let's not be complacent about this.

0:37:110:37:14

It's not like a farrier going out to a child's pony,

0:37:140:37:17

lifting up its feet and gently trimming it.

0:37:170:37:19

These are animals that, A, if they get too scared,

0:37:190:37:22

will either kill you,

0:37:220:37:24

or will potentially throw themselves so hard at a fence

0:37:240:37:27

that they'll break their own necks.

0:37:270:37:30

No-one wants harm to come to Winnie, or any of us,

0:37:300:37:32

so I'm hoping manager Richard Robinson can tell me

0:37:320:37:36

the best way to approach a zebra.

0:37:360:37:38

-They kick at the back and they bite at the front.

-OK!

0:37:380:37:41

If you ask me, there isn't a good end to a pony,

0:37:410:37:43

so zebras are very similar.

0:37:430:37:45

-There's not necessarily a safe zone.

-No, very much not, no.

0:37:450:37:48

-What is the plan with Andrew today?

-We've discussed this for a while,

0:37:480:37:52

and were ready to do a foot trim on Winnie the female zebra.

0:37:520:37:55

-She's a bit pigeon-toed.

-ZEBRA HOOTS

0:37:550:37:58

-That's a good noise.

-That's Leon, Leon the stallion.

0:37:580:38:02

He now knows, she now knows that something is going on.

0:38:020:38:06

-They've got wind of something.

-Exactly.

0:38:060:38:08

So the zebras have rumbled us.

0:38:080:38:11

This is going to be difficult with all of them around.

0:38:110:38:15

Ideally, I want to end up with Winnie in a stable on her own.

0:38:150:38:19

And we'll just see what happens.

0:38:190:38:21

Easy, steady, easy!

0:38:240:38:27

-Easy!

-Eventually, Richard manages to shepherd Winnie into her own stable.

0:38:290:38:35

Easy, Win! Easy, Win! Easy, Win!

0:38:350:38:38

-Now to move the other three out.

-Out they come.

0:38:380:38:41

They're probably going to be in a reasonable hurry.

0:38:410:38:44

Whoa, steady, steady!

0:38:440:38:45

The zebra charge is a reminder

0:38:450:38:47

that these are wild animals which don't want us about.

0:38:470:38:51

So, to minimise Winnie's stress, we'll have to sedate her.

0:38:510:38:55

So Richard's done his bit of separating them out, wrangling.

0:38:550:38:59

-Now it's down to you.

-No, he did very well.

0:38:590:39:01

Now we've got to get her knocked out quickly

0:39:010:39:04

so she doesn't get too stressed either.

0:39:040:39:06

And what does that involve? This firearm in the back here?

0:39:060:39:09

Richard's got the dart gun ready.

0:39:090:39:11

My job is to load up the dart with the appropriate medication,

0:39:110:39:15

and that's where it gets dangerous, because this drug that we're using,

0:39:150:39:19

not only is it an anaesthetic for wild animals,

0:39:190:39:22

-but it's lethal for humans.

-Really? When you say lethal...

0:39:220:39:25

If you spill it on your hand,

0:39:250:39:26

it will give you a heart attack within ten minutes.

0:39:260:39:29

'This is getting serious,

0:39:310:39:33

'especially as I'm in charge of the tranquilliser antidote...

0:39:330:39:36

'..just in case there's a wayward shot.'

0:39:370:39:40

You're going to hang on to that, and if either of us two get injected,

0:39:400:39:43

your job is to get it in our muscle as soon as you see it.

0:39:430:39:48

I don't know if I like the sounds of that! Ha-ha!

0:39:480:39:51

-Your life in my hands!

-Your life... I just met you!

0:39:510:39:54

'With the antidote at the ready, the tranquilliser dart is primed,

0:39:540:39:58

'and now it's time for Richard to take his shot.'

0:39:580:40:01

SHOT FIRES

0:40:030:40:05

And then we just need to stand out of the way.

0:40:050:40:09

How long should it to take her to go down if all the drug's gone in?

0:40:090:40:12

Five or ten minutes. I mean, she's starting to stumble around now.

0:40:120:40:16

-THUD

-That's our zebra falling down, yeah.

0:40:160:40:18

Sure enough, Winnie is spark out. Time for Andrew to get to work.

0:40:180:40:24

OK...I mean, immediately, when we start looking at these,

0:40:240:40:28

we can see just how bad this one is.

0:40:280:40:30

That's deformed there, that's overhanging,

0:40:300:40:34

and this toe is much too long,

0:40:340:40:37

so it's starting to actually curl upwards on the very front.

0:40:370:40:41

So we've got two bits of kit.

0:40:410:40:45

We've got the clippers to get the length off,

0:40:450:40:48

and then we've got a nice angle grinder there.

0:40:480:40:50

This is a bit more familiar from the DIY cupboard, this one.

0:40:500:40:53

From a speed and a kind of safety element,

0:40:530:40:56

it's the best tool for this job.

0:40:560:40:58

'Andrew gets cracking with the clippers,

0:40:580:41:02

'then moves on to the power tool.'

0:41:020:41:05

'And as he grinds away at Winnie's hoof, he can see it's infected.'

0:41:110:41:15

Yes, we can see all this brown change going on here.

0:41:150:41:18

That's infection going up the laminae.

0:41:180:41:21

As the infection tracks up there, that's more painful.

0:41:210:41:24

-Have you got to get that out?

-I'm going to get that out.

0:41:240:41:27

'Treating this is going to save Winnie a lot of grief.

0:41:270:41:31

'Once that's done, Andrew gives the other hooves a quick once-over,

0:41:340:41:38

'just to keep on top of things.'

0:41:380:41:40

-Pretty happy with that?

-Yeah, er...

0:41:470:41:49

We've got her looking virtually normal now,

0:41:490:41:52

so hopefully she's going to be running around absolutely fine.

0:41:520:41:56

'As she comes round from the sedative, Winnie finds her feet.

0:41:560:42:01

'And thanks to the pedicure,

0:42:050:42:07

'they're probably a bit more to her liking.'

0:42:070:42:10

'So life as a country vet is anything but black and white.

0:42:120:42:16

'It's been a hectic day and night, saving cows and delivering a calf,

0:42:160:42:20

'not to mention a zebra pedicure.

0:42:200:42:23

'I think city life might be a bit more peaceful.'

0:42:230:42:26

If you think you know of a case of wildlife crime

0:42:340:42:37

or a creature that needs immediate protection,

0:42:370:42:40

remember there are dedicated professionals out there

0:42:400:42:44

who will answer your call right around the clock.

0:42:440:42:46

They are the people we meet on Animal 24:7.

0:42:460:42:50

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