A turkey that lived semi-wild on a shoot was impounded by the RSPCA and then killed.
Camilla the turkey became the mascot of a shoot near Bristol. Something of a celebrity with locals and shoot members, a concerned member of the public found her on the roadside and reported her to the RSPCA.
Not wishing to miss a chance of fundraiser, the animal charity caught her and, without apparently making enquiries locally, rushed out a press release saying: “It’s really sad to think that somebody thought it was appropriate to abandon a beautiful bird like this at the side of the road.”
A member of the shoot, Andy Fraser, read about Camilla’s ‘rescue’ and contacted the RSPCA to arrange her return.
While phone calls went back and forth, the RSPCA reassured the shoot that Camilla was being held at a ‘specialist turkey rescue centre’.
Collection was arranged, then the RSPCA phoned back with the bombshell news that, unfortunately, Camilla had escaped and been killed that morning, probably by a fox.
“The RSPCA were very apologetic,” says Andy, “but it’s strange that they are meant to be protecting animals. They only had her for a month.”
Shooters and locals are distraught. They had hoped to provide Camilla with a mate they had bought her. But Charles, as he is called, must now live on the shoot alone.
