Physical control or restraint may be essential in some situations, for example:
- To prevent worsening of an incident, especially if human life or safety is involved
- To enable an entrapped animal to be released
- To remove the animal from a place of danger to a place of safety
- To prevent injury to emergency responders
- When administering first aid to the animal
Before attempting to physically gain control or restraint of an animal, the activity should be risk assessed, including the following considerations:
- The species, size and behaviour of the animal
- The impact on the animal in terms of potential injury or distress
- The environment
- The resources and equipment available
Physically controlling or restraining an animal may include using equipment such as:
- Muzzles
- May be purpose-made or improvised, and often used for dogs
- Assessment of the animal will determine the type of muzzle required
- Slip leads
- Can be used to control a non-aggressive dog
- Can be used as a pair, one from each side of the animal, (known as double leading) to provide additional control
- Rigid leads or graspers
- Should be used if the behaviour of a dog is unknown
- Can be used for some wild animals, such as foxes and badgers
- Can be used as a pair to provide additional control
- Snake tongs or graspers
- Can be used to capture and restrain snakes and other animals, such as cats
- Nets
- Can be used for many species of smaller animals, but need to be suitable for the size and strength of the animal
- May be of a traditional hoop, triangle or square type
- Other types, such as throw nets or ‘walk toward’ nets can be used
- Extension poles
- Lightweight, interlocking, aluminium poles that can provide additional reach when controlling or restraining an animal
- Capture or restraining equipment, such as graspers or nets, can be attached to the extension poles
- Towels, cloths or blankets
- May be purpose-made or improvised, and can assist with the capture and control of a range of smaller animals and deer
- Covering the head or eyes may calm some species
- Halters
- May be purpose-made or improvised, and are mainly used to control the head of larger domesticated animals, or if the animal is being chemically restrained
- Can be used for smaller livestock such as goats, sheep and young bovines
- Head collars
- Purpose-made devices, in a range of sizes, primarily for the head control of equines