Deer kills dog in backyard near Victoria, prompting warning from police

Deer are pictured in Oak Bay, B.C., on March 3, 2024. (CTV News)

Police on southern Vancouver Island are issuing a warning about the dangers of deer rutting season after a dog was gored to death by a buck earlier this week.

The Oak Bay Police Department says the aggressive deer was reported in the 800 block of Newport Avenue in the residential community east of Victoria.

The department said in a social media post the dog "was speared by a buck while in the backyard of the family home" on Wednesday night.

The dog died of its injuries, police said, adding conservation and animal control officers have been advised.

Department spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Diachina says the incident happened around 7:30 p.m., when "a buck came out of the bushes aggressively and speared the dog, killing it."

The deer then ran off, according to police.

"No distinguishing markings or identifiers (were) available and several different deer have been known to hang out in the area," Diachina said in an emailed statement.

The dog owners informed police about the attack because they were worried about the safety of Halloween trick-or-treaters in the area, police said. 

"Please be cautious around wildlife, especially during the rut season," the Oak Bay Police Department wrote in the post on X, formerly known as Twitter, following the incident.

The B.C. SPCA says mid-October to December is traditionally deer mating, or rutting, season.

"During this time, male deer (bucks) become more interested in female deer (does) and will compete for their attention," the provincial SPCA says in a recent post on its website.

"This means they will show more aggression to other males – perceiving them as competition – and will often challenge and fight other males."

That aggression can be extended to people and other animals, prompting the B.C. SPCA to advise anyone who encounters a deer during rutting season to give the animal plenty of space.

"They may feel threatened by close quarters and see humans or companion animals as a 'rival' or simply as a danger during this sensitive time," the B.C. SPCA says.

"Take a different route if deer activity is regularly occurring in an area, keep dogs leashed and pick up small dogs if a deer is near."

Collisions between deer and vehicles are also more common during rutting season, when deer are actively pursuing mates and "can be less aware of their surroundings," the B.C. SPCA warns.