THE intrepid sheep shot dead by a daring rifle-toting marksman was in good health, according to all accounts.
The mystery as to how the sheep clambered into the opening in the cave in the middle of a cliff south of Whitby has been overtaken by the absurd decision to put a bullet in the stray creature.
The sheep must have inched along a ledge leading to t
he cave and had been there for a few weeks, drinking rainwater and chewing on grass growth amid the rocks. If a woman had not taken a photograph of the animal for our sister newspaper the Whitby Gazette, no-one, including the RSPCA, would have known anything about the animal's apparently happy holiday.
The animal did not appear in distress; sheep look dumb to many people but they are characters in their own right, and can bellow and dash about if they feel they need assistance. It certainly wasn't stupid because it had kept back from the edge.
There could have been experienced and keen volunteers for an abseil rescue but the RSPCA lost no time at all in deciding to get the animal shot.
In the old days, we used to have a reputation for animal kindness and consideration.
Not now. If in doubt, kill it.
The next time a dog gets stranded on cliffs, maybe the RSCPA will be asked not to turn up.
