Ashland, Ore. — Some Ashland residents say gone are the days of the peaceful charming doe after multiple cases of residents and their pets being stalked, chased, and attacked prompts the mayor to hold a public meeting.
Claudia Law lives in Ashland’s Railroad District. She said in the past few years the deer in her neighborhood have become quite aggressive. Two summers ago she and her dog were taking an early morning walk when they were followed by a doe and her two fawns for an entire mile.
“She came up to within 20 feet of me, stomped her hooves, and blew at me,” Law said. “She would have attacked me I’m sure.”
Luckily, a neighbor opened his door scaring the doe off. Law’s not the only one with a frightening deer encounter. One Ashland family had to put their dog down after it was injured when a deer jumped over their fence and attacked it in their own backyard. Another woman was chased.
Mayor John Stromberg isn’t sure if the deer have become desensitized to humans because of the people who feed them, or if the drought is bringing more of them down from the hills. Either way, he said it’s not good for humans or the deer since they often get hit by cars.
“It’s clearly not acceptable to have people be at risk of being injured or to have animals wounded and dying,” Mayor John Stromberg said.
The public is invited to a “Deer Summit” Wednesday night at the City Council Chambers. Stromberg said it’s a chance for them to share their opinions on how they would like to see the city address their fearless deer population. The meeting will begin at 7:00.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.