A Fernwood man who was knocked over by an aggressive buck on Monday evening managed to fight off the animal even as it bashed him with its antlers.
The man’s dog was injured and subsequently went through surgery. The man suffered minor injuries in the attack.
It’s the second recent incident in the capital region of combative deer injuring dogs.
B.C’s Conservation Officer Service is warning residents about the dangers of aggressive deer during the annual rutting season for black-tailed deer, which runs from October to December.
Rutting bucks can become territorial, aggressive to people and pets, and agitated in their search for females during the breeding season.
In the Fernwood situation, the owner let the dog out in the backyard, then heard it yelp and ran out to help.
“Without warning, the owner was knocked down by a buck, which continued hitting him with its antlers,” the Environment Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.
Monday’s attack followed an Oct. 30 incident where a deer attacked a dog in Oak Bay, and the dog ended up having to be euthanized.
The dog, a deaf husky-shepherd cross, was let outside into the yard in the evening and was walking around the perimeter of its property when it approached the deer.
The deer dropped its head, lunged and tossed the dog, impaling it with its antlers.
The dog received serious injuries, which included a three-to-four-inch puncture wound on its chest. It was euthanized at a veterinary clinic.
The Conservation Officer Service is urging people to be aware of their surroundings, put their pets on leash and watch them when they are outside. It suggests turning on lights in the backyard before letting pets out at night.
Anyone who sees a buck is asked to give it plenty of space.
For more information on safety tips and rutting season, go to WildSafeBC.com.
Deer conflicts can be reported to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277.
