On driving home today, about 10 minutes out, I saw a stray cow wandering up the grass verge of a 60mph road. Poor thing was obviously scared of the traffic, but to their credit, cars slowed down wary that it may bolt out at any moment. As soon as I got home, I called the police to report it on their non emergency number 101.

After 17 minutes of listening to various pre recorded messages on how to report a crime online, what to do if I was a victim of crime, did I need a call back from the hours of 8am - 6pm etc etc, I just hung up.

I was raised in an era where 999 was a life/death emergency, so was very apprehensive on using it. If it were you, what would you have done?

when i was on the motorway couple of years ago, i nearly crashed into a massive log that was on the road, luckily there was another car on the other lane with hazard lights on to warn me. i swerved around it then when i managed to stop somewhere, i quickly rang council up (i think it was the council who i rang) and they got someone out to remove the tree.

you could ty ringing council up if that would help.

5 minutes ago, froggy8 said:

you could ty ringing council up if that would help.

Totally different legislative structure here in NI, Councils just primarily empty the bins 🤣

I'm sure the wandering cow has by now caused a multiple car pile up, or is safely back in a field munching away on some wet grass!

Council won't be there on a Sunday anyway.  Emergencies must be restricted to office hours only.  

I found a stray pig trotting along a 60mph road a few years back.  Quite a busy road with cars frequently having to navigate around it.  Fairly close to a pig farm so pretty sure it came from there...but I couldn't find the actual farm house to inform them.   

Spent several minutes trying to work out if there was anything else I could do, and ultimately just gave up and left it.

Like you, I don't think 999 is for anything other than a dire emergency.  But my Nan used to ring it all the time to complain about things.  

I would have probably called 999 from the car. If someone hits it in their car or a motorbike hits it they could easily be killed. 
 

Emergency mean it needs urgent attention and someone’s life is at risk. 
 

People do call 999 when they shouldn’t. But if you thought it was likely to walk out in to the road and not just missing from a field then that to me is an emergency. 
 

I should add I still wouldn’t take calling 999 lightly. I think I’ve done it once when someone was walking down the edge of a dual carriageway (no hard shoulder) in the pitch black. And I still questioned if I was wasting police time, but I didn’t want to read in the news about someone being hit the next day and I could have done something. 

Like Tom I would have called in to the nearest farmhouse or if it was very rural, the nearest house. 

Even if it was not their beast they would most likely know who the owner was. 

if not a police issue then highways England or their equivalent

5 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

if not a police issue then highways England or their equivalent

No equivalent in NI...