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Caution urged after deer attacks two dogs in Sooke

Deer attacks are not uncommon, says conservation officer
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A B.C. conservation officer is urging caution after two dogs were attacked by a deer earlier this week in a Sooke neighbourhood.

Conservation officer Scott Norris says that while the incident wasn’t reported to local officials, deer attacks are not uncommon.

On Thursday, a Sooke couple found themselves in a face-off with a deer, which trampled their dogs.

”It was really scary,” Chrissy Burt wrote on a Facebook group page.

The attack was likely from a doe protecting her young, Norris said.

“If there’s fawns around, which this time of year there’s going to be a hundred being born, potentially she’s just protecting a fawn,” he said.

Norris recalled one incident in Duncan when a woman was chased back into her house by an aggressive doe, with the deer leaving hoof prints on her front door.

“When you got dogs in your yard and that area, she’s going to protect her fawn, and that might mean trampling someone’s dog to reduce that threat.”

Deer attacks are most likely in the fall, and involving bucks during a rut (mating season) where they will chase and hound just about anything in their way.

Though no deer attacks were reported in Sooke recently, Norris urged the public to treat deer encounters with caution.

“This time of year, keep your dogs close, keep them on a leash. If you get a deer approach you in an aggressive manner, get yourself and your dogs back to safety,” he said.

“That momma instinct kicks in, so you need to back away and give them lots of space so they don’t feel threatened.”