This press release by Alistair McConnachie was released on the internet, 6 April 2001.

Mrs Elizabeth Walls, proud owner of Misty, a one year old goat, was last night distracted by police, while a vet and MAFF official broke into her stable and killed the frightened animal - without any written or verbal permission whatsoever from Mrs Walls.

Mrs Walls, who also owns a pony, two dogs and a cat, kept Misty in a stable at the bottom of her garden in Mouswald, Dumfriesshire. Misty used to regularly accompany the family and the dogs on walks in the surrounding countryside.

Vets and MAFF officials have been attempting for several days to convince Mrs Walls that Misty posed a risk to health, on the grounds that Mrs Walls' back garden borders a farm which has recently had all its cattle destroyed. Mrs Walls today voiced her suspicion that the cattle on the neighbouring farm possibly didn't have Foot and Mouth anyway, and certainly had all the appearances of being perfectly healthy.

At around 9pm on the evening of Thursday 5th April, a vet came to the door and stated bluntly, "I'm here to dispose of the goat. If you don't agree I'll get the police."

Mrs Walls asked him if he had any proof that Misty had Foot and Mouth and he replied that he did not. She asked him if he would take blood tests of Misty. He would not. He was even asked if he could prove that the neighbouring farm had Foot and Mouth. He could not.

Again he stated, "If you don't let me dispose of the goat, I'm going to get the police to arrest you".

Mrs Walls replied, "Well, I'm not prepared to give you permission."

The vet left and almost immediately the police, who must have been lingering nearby, appeared on her doorstep. There was a man and a woman and the policewoman said to Mrs Walls, "I don't want to arrest you."

However, it was claimed that the Animal Health Act 1981 gave them authority to arrest Mrs Walls if she attempted to prevent the slaughter.

While the police were speaking to Mrs Walls in the kitchen, the vet was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly Mrs Walls was alerted by screaming from her daughter Kirstin who was returning home from work.

"Misty's dead! Misty's dead!"

As Mrs Walls tried to rush out, one of the police officers attempted to stop her - saying, absurdly, "You can't go out of the house, it's an infected area!"

"Don't be ridiculous" replied Mrs Walls. The officer shot back, "Well, why do you think we're all dressed up in this plastic clothing."

However, she did get outside, only to find a strange man standing around in the dark.

"Who are you?" she asked, and he promptly turned his back on her.

"Excuse me, don't turn your back on me. Who are you?"

"I'm only the driver."

It later transpired that he was the MAFF official. He had also tried to stop Kirstin at the end of the driveway when she was coming home, and had followed her down the road saying, "Your mother's going to be arrested, and the police will soon sort you out."

While the police had been keeping Mrs Walls speaking in the kitchen, the vet and the MAFF official had sneaked round the back, broke into the padlocked stable, and killed Misty!

They did this without obtaining any written or verbal permission whatsoever from Mrs Walls.

A horrified Kirstin was told by the policewoman, "Grow up. This is the real world, not Disney World."