Merseyside Police kill rare white stag found in streets of Liverpool

A rare white stag has been shot dead by police after it was found roaming the streets of Merseyside.

Officers say the animal posed “a danger to motorists and members of the public”.

Police were called in at around 8.45am on Sunday morning after Bootle residents spotted the stag galloping around the often busy residential area.

They tracked the animal for several hours across town in hope to follow the recommendations of the RSPCA, who advised police to leave it alone.

After cornering the stag at an industrial estate, a decision was made to euthanize the animal due to being unable to safely capture it.

Law enforcement officers had a veterinary surgeon on hand at the scene to help monitor and assist any attempts to control the animal.

In a follow-up statement, the RSPCA understood the police’s judgement due to the potential risk to the public.

Merseyside Police have received a fairshare of backlash from the local public who disagree with the decision to terminate the animal.

Sightings of white stags are extremely rare with only a handful of sightings reported over the last few decades.

The animal has many links to various mythologies around the world such as Celtic and Hungarian.