KENORA — Provincial police are investigating an incident in Kenora in which a member of the local detachment attempted to euthanize a deer with the blunt part of an axe.
It happened in a residential neighbourhood on Sept. 3.
Video of the disturbing incident was obtained and posted by Animal Justice, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for the humane treatment of animals.
It appears to show an injured deer lying on a boulevard, with its head in the air before one of two officers at the scene takes a two-handed strike at it with the axe.
In a tweet under the headline "Police Brutality," Animal Justice said it has filed a complaint against the OPP "for striking the deer with the blunt end of an axe and leaving her to slowly die in agony."
The message adds "It's illegal to cause animals unnecessary pain and suffering, and police are NOT above the law."
OPP headquarters in Orillia has released a statement.
"We understand that witnessing such an incident can be difficult and we regret any distress that watching the footage may cause," the statement noted.
"This is not the way OPP officers are trained or are expected to deal with this type of scenario. The Police Services Act specifically allows for use of police-issued firearms to dispatch a suffering animal. This is also covered in annual training for our officers."
The OPP Professional Standards Unit has begun an internal investigation to determine whether there were any conduct and/or policy violations.
The incident will also be reviewed from a training perspective.
In a statement to Dougall Media on Wednesday, Animal Justice called the officer's action inexcusable.
It said the deer was already injured, and the officer's actions added to its pain and distress.
The statement added that Animal Justice wants OPP to ensure all officers are properly trained in how to respond to situations like this.
