![](https://emergencyservicestimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ESS-Button-resized.png")
In November 2024, representatives from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary met with 17 other UK police forces as part of a national rollout of the Humane Animal Dispatch (HAD) volunteer scheme.
The HAD scheme provides a vital service, ensuring the humane dispatch of injured deer involved in road collisions. Volunteers are available 24/7, year-round, and are called upon by police control rooms to prevent unnecessary suffering for injured animals.
HAD volunteers are experts in deer management, ensuring that incidents are handled effectively and humanely while reducing demand on police resources. By utilising these trained individuals, police forces are able to redirect their resources to other priorities, saving time and money in the process.
In Hampshire, HAD volunteers have attended 130 incidents in 2024 (up to 31 October), compared to 21 similar deployments involving firearms officers. This has resulted in estimated savings of £47,095, with projections rising to £59,041 by the end of 2024. With the anticipated growth in deer populations and increased deployments, potential savings for 2025 are expected to exceed £100,000.
The scheme, originally launched by Hampshire Constabulary over 15 years ago, began as a local partnership with rural communities, including gamekeepers and deer managers. Redeveloped in 2022, it has since grown into a model for best practice nationally. Other forces, such as Derbyshire, are now exploring similar implementations.
The scheme has garnered support from organisations including The British Deer Society, the RSPCA, the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association (BARTA), and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). These collaborations ensure the scheme aligns with both industry and animal welfare standards.
A key element of the HAD programme is specialised training for volunteers. The Deer Management Qualification (DMQ) recently introduced a dedicated HAD award, now a prerequisite for participating in the scheme. Training opportunities for prospective volunteers are becoming more widely available across the UK as additional police forces adopt the programme.
“After over 20 years of dedicated work by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and numerous volunteers, we are thrilled to see this scheme expanding nationally. The collaboration between police forces, industry organisations, and volunteers is vital to ensuring injured deer receive humane treatment while reducing pressure on policing resources.
“We are committed to supporting this effort by raising funds for essential safety equipment and training for approved HAD volunteers, helping ensure their safety and the programme’s long-term success.”
David McAuley, CEO of The British Deer Society.
The national rollout of the HAD scheme represents a significant step forward in managing the welfare of wildlife on UK roads while providing substantial savings for police forces across the country.
To read similar articles, check out our Frontline channel.