Experts are advising the public to give deer a wide berth, after a buck injured a Fernwood resident and sent a dog to the vet this week.
The incident occurred on the evening of Nov. 4, when the resident let his dog into his backyard. Shortly after, the man heard a yelp and rushed outside to check on his pet.
“Without warning, the owner was knocked down by a buck, which continued hitting him with its antlers,” B.C.'s natural resource law enforcement agency the Conservation Officer Service (COS) said in an email. “The owner suffered minor injuries and managed to fight the deer off.”
The dog wasn’t as lucky, however, and was forced to undergo surgery to address its injuries.
This was the second deer attack in just six days, following a similar incident in Oak Bay on Oct. 30, when a resident let their dog outside around 7:30 p.m.
"The dog was in the yard of the family home, when a male deer, which had been eating vegetation on the property 'bucked' the dog, spearing it in the chest area with its antlers," the Oak Bay Police Department said in a news release. "The deer then lowered its head and tossed the dog."
The dog sustained a “three-to-four-inch puncture” in its chest, which resulted in its euthanization at the vet later that night.
According to Lisa Lopez, the program manager of the outdoor education group WildSafeBC, aggressive behaviour is normal during the animals’ breeding season, also called the rut.
“The rut generally peaks in mid-November,” she said in an email. “Mature bucks of similar size will engage in head-to-head fights and lock antlers. These displays and fights are used to assert dominance and secure breeding privileges.”
This state of aggravated behaviour means bucks may be willing to challenge anything they perceive as threats, including people and dogs.
To avoid potentially aggressive deer, Lopez advises people to check their backyards before letting pets outside. Keeping dogs leashed will also help stop them from approaching deer.
“If you encounter deer, give them a wide berth,” added Lopez. “If a deer indicates it may attack you or your pet, avoid eye contact, speak softly and back away slowly. If there is a tree or other solid object nearby, try to get behind it. If you have bear spray, it can also be used on deer if they get too close.”
The COS has issued a similar warning.
“Residents are asked to take precautions in case of wildlife encounters, such as being aware of their surroundings ... and turning on lights in the backyard prior to letting pets out at night,” it said.
For more information about safety during rutting season, visit: wildsafebc.com.
To report deer conflicts, call the COS’s Report All Poachers and Polluters hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
