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CTV News
6 days ago
- CTV News
Victoria dog owner has a warning for others after being chased by an angry deer
Another Victoria dog owner is speaking out after being chased by an aggressive deer in the city. Victoria resident Katherine Lafferty has a warning for others after she and her dog were stalked by an angry deer near Cook Street Village on Monday. 'It locked eyes on us and it just started to follow us; I tried to give it as much room as possible,' said Lafferty. She says her dog Jasper was on his leash and was oblivious to what was happening. That is, until Lafferty began to run. 'It was just relentlessly coming after us and I don't think it had a fawn either,' said the still-rattled dog owner. Fortunately for the duo, they managed to make it home to safety before anyone was hurt. Lafferty's experience comes on the heels of another deer attack in Victoria a week prior. Brenda Neveu had let her dog outside in the backyard of her house when it was mauled by a deer. The animal later had to be euthanized. 'I saw a blur and I realized it was a deer,' said Neveu. 'We had to make the choice to put him down.' It's fawning season and B.C.'s Ministry of Environment says this is the time of year when deer can become extra aggressive in an attempt to protect their offspring from perceived dangers like dogs or humans. Samantha Jagt is a certified professional dog trainer with Authentic K9 Training. She says deer this time of year can be very unpredictable. 'They potentially can do a lot of damage with their teeth, their antlers and their hooves,' said Jagt. She says there are steps that you can take to protect your pooch, beginning in your backyard. '(Think about) maybe doing a quick scan of your yard before letting your dog out loose to ensure there are no deer that can be caught off-guard,' said Jagt. She recommends you consider getting deer-proof fencing installed if deer become a problem, and when out on a walk, ensure your dog is always on a leash. If you do happen to come across an aggressive deer on a walk, Jagt recommends walking away slowly while keeping your dog's attention away from the deer. 'Dogs can act first and think later,' said Jagt. The certified trainer says if the deer continues to advance, pick up your dog if at all possible. 'I don't know what the solution is, but I do know that the deer are overpopulated right now and that something needs to be done about it,' said Lafferty. Both Esquimalt and Oak Bay are currently studying the effects of contraceptive vaccines on the deer population. Early indications are positive, but a booster is needed every 22 months. The mayors of both municipalities hope the province will see the benefits of the vaccine and provide funding for an immuno-contraceptive program going forward, in order to get the deer population in Greater Victoria under control.
CTV News
31-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Dog dies of injuries after deer attack in Victoria
Jasper's family says they had to put him down after he was attacked by a deer in Victoria on Tuesday. (Source: Brenda Neveu) A Victoria woman is sharing a warning about aggressive deer in the capital region after her dog was attacked and later died of his injuries. Brenda Neveu said she was sitting on her front steps on Tuesday when her dog Jasper's ribs were broken. 'He wandered a few steps away from me and just as he did that, there was a flash. And it was a deer that just attacked him immediately,' she said. 'It just mowed him right over – trampled him.' Neveu said she scared the female deer away, but it came back while she was tending to Jasper. A young man heard her screaming and came to help, chasing the deer away for a second time, she said. 'He chased it all the way down … to the end of the street,' she said. 'When he came back, the deer followed him back.' B.C.'s Environment Ministry said deer can become aggressive during fawning season, which begins in May and lasts a few weeks. Neveu said she didn't see any babies in her yard, which is in the Rockland neighbourhood. 'I had to take my pup to the hospital,' she said. 'He didn't chase deer, he didn't bark at deer. Never had. And we had to make the choice to put him down.' She worries about what could happen if the deer population in the region isn't reduced. 'Am I not safe to sit here on my step with my grandson and have him toddle out there?' she said, pointing to her front lawn. 'A pet, yes, it's a family member, but a child? That will be devastating if we lose a child.' Deer contraception trials wrapping up For the past several years, the municipalities of Oak Bay and Esquimalt have been studying the effects of contraception on the deer population. Deer are tranquilized, inoculated and tagged. After that, their fawning rates are monitored. 'The early indications from the report that we've got are that it has been successful,' Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch said. Reports of aggressive deer are rare, but the population still needs to be controlled, he said. They can be spotted regularly around the capital region, munching on gardens and walking into traffic. Oak Bay has submitted the results of its five-year pilot project for review by the province, which approved the study. 'We're not allowed to touch deer unless the province gives us an OK,' he said. 'Our hope is that the province will look at the data that we're able to provide and agree to allow an immuno-contraceptive program going forward.' Esquimalt's trial will wrap by the end of the year. Between 2021 and 2023, the township vaccinated 60 deer, Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said. Like Oak Bay, preliminary results indicate contraception reduces the fawning rate. 'Contraception lasts 22 months, so if you stop the contraception, it is likely that the population will gradually return again,' Desjardins said. Esquimalt's trial did not include giving the deer booster shots, she said. 'It's going to be very important to be able to convey the findings and what the community requires to the province in order to get buy-in for future, hopefully, funding of contraception, but also just allowing it to occur in communities that are like ours,' she said.
