Video: Game Wardens Shoot “Pet” Deer in Front of Crying Family
OutdoorHub Reporters 01.09.17
A family in Kansas is upset after game wardens shot a deer the family was keeping as a pet for nearly 2 years.
The mule deer had apparently followed Kim Mcgaughey home one day, and that’s when they decided to house the animal. Keeping a wild animal as a house pet is against the law in Kansas, and once a facebook post tipped off authorities, Mcgaughey was ticketed for possessing wild game without a permit.
Taryn Mcgaughey, Kim’s daughter, captured the video below of the wardens explaining the law and why they have to take action. You can see the deer is obviously injured and that makes it extremely unpredictable and dangerous.
(Caution: Contains graphic content)
According to The Wichita Eagle, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism reports at least two people have been killed in Kansas by pet deer. The department said it was trying to protect people from being physically injured by the deer, and eliminate the possibility of disease being passed to humans, livestock and other deer.
“In these cases our officers have to decide what options there are. That might be to relocate the animal, release it back into the wild or take it to some kind of rehab facility,” said Mark Rankin, law enforcement assistant director for the wildlife department. “Unfortunately once they’ve become imprinted on people, (euthanasia) is almost always the final outcome. Our officers on the scene felt (shooting the deer) was about their only option.”
These decisions are never easy, and contrary to what people think, they don’t enjoy making them.
