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.