In the Country Park at Barton on Humber, in an area between the Visitor Centre (T.I.C.) and the Humber bank promenade is an arcing area of land where plants and grasses have been allowed to develop naturally. Nestling amongst the plants is a willow twig statue entitled ‘Daphne’. Daphne was a female fallow dear that, along with a buck initially, decided that this was a good place to set-up home as it was surrounded by a wire fence which they had managed to scale. Soon the buck left but Daphne stayed generally to the delight of walkers and visitors, this including dogs and their owners as Daphne would ‘touch-noses’ through the fence with seemingly any dog being exercised (including Molly see above). The statue (given the medium not sure if this is the right word) stands there now because one night Daphne was mortally mauled by a dog one night and when discovered in the morning her injuries were such that she had to be put-down. Many a tear was shed as news got around and the statue stands testimony to the concept of humans living in mutual respect with other animal species, the classical image of St Francis of Assisi made real.
Witness the children feeding the ducks, geese and pigeons at the Visitor Centre or in the parks and gardens in Hull, delighted by the experience of being in a multi-species location and on an equal footing – or at least most of them.
Witness the post-Brexit promises about agricultural policy being designed to create/preserve wildlife habitat, whether or not this is the personal view of ministers or not the Prime Minister openly recognised the great fondness most British people have for wildlife and ecological diversity.
Witness the work of World Wildlife Fund, of Compassion in World Farming, of Animals Asia and of Animals Free and many others who work tirelessly for animal welfare, particularly so in parts of the world where traditional and/or religious dogma embed the concept that animals are solely created to supply human needs irrespective of physical agony and lifestyle deprivation.
My guess is that even if the dog who killed Daphne were known most people would want the dog to live but re-trained and re-homed, but that the owner be made to take responsibility for what happened.