Colorado woman's pet deer euthanized after it gored a neighbor walking her dog
Wildlife officials in Colorado have announced that a woman was fined more than $1,000 after they believe she fed and raised a young deer that later gored a Black Forest woman. Colorado Parks and Wildlife issued two citations Monday to Tynette Housley, 73, who allegedly took a day-old fawn into her home and raised the deer for a year before it attacked a woman walking her dog Friday.
Housley was also issued a warning for possessing wildlife without a license, agency officials said. Housley did not immediately respond to phone calls made by The Associated Press requesting comment.
The young deer rammed its antlers into a woman, knocked her down and gored her as she attempted to escape the attack, officials said.
"The deer, fresh blood covering its antlers, even approached a CPW wildlife officer who responded to investigate the attack," Colorado Parks and Wildlife said. "The officer euthanized the deer and took it to CPW's animal health lab in Fort Collins to test it for rabies and other diseases."
Lab technicians found that the deer's stomach contained out-of-season foods such as hay, corn and possibly potato.
Authorities said the woman who was attacked was hospitalized overnight for serious lacerations to her head, cheek and legs.
"We can't say it enough: Wild animals are not pets," agency Wildlife Manager Frank McGee said. "Feeding deer habituates them to humans. They lose their fear of humans and that leads to these outcomes that are tragic for both wildlife and people."
McGee said injured and orphaned wildlife should be taken to licensed wildlife rehabilitators.