'No fear of humans': Deer group reveals what may have led to pet deer attack
A warning has been issued after a man was killed by a deer in Victoria.
Emergency services were called to a rural address in Moyhu near Wangaratta, in the state’s northeast, after Paul McDonald, 46, and his wife Mandi, 45, were attacked by their pet deer on Wednesday morning.
The deer was being kept in an enclosure. It was euthanised after the attack.
Australian Deer Association’s Barry Howlett told the Herald Sun it’s currently mating season for deer and many will become aggressive and territorial.
Mr Howlett added since the deer was being kept as a pet it possibly lost its fear of humans.
“They are a wild animal and a wild animal that loses its fear of humans is a really dangerous thing,” Mr Howlett told the Herald Sun.
“It might be quite docile for most of the year but when mating season is on, you don’t go near them.”
Mrs McDonald is currently in a critical condition in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Her husband died at the scene.
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