Tippy the black English Labrador is recovering after being gored by a male deer during rutting season.
The buck’s antlers slashed and punctured Tippy’s back, sides and shoulder, said owner Don Swindell, who is sharing the story to warn people about what can happen this time of year.
Deer enter the rut, or breeding season, in late fall. Bucks go on the lookout for females and are more commonly seen, Swindell said Thursday.
Bucks will spar with one another other and rub their antlers against trees and shrubs during the rut.
Municipalities throughout the capital region are wrestling with how to address the issue of a growing population of urban deer.
If a person or pet comes across a deer, “they will stand their ground,” he said. “They are not afraid of people and pets.”
A buck walked up his Saanich street on Wednesday night.
“It is an issue and a problem,” he said. “Right now, they are just running around the roads in rutting season.”
Tippy, a family pet and friendly shop dog at Big O Tires Westshore, was attacked Halloween night at an outdoor party on Ralph Street near McKenzie Avenue. A neighbour spotted the buck attacking the dog and chased it away, Swindell said.
At the vet’s, Tippy’s coat was shaved and her injuries stitched up, including a pencil-sized hole on her back and a two-inch stab-like wound, he said. The total cost, including antibiotics and pain medication, was $900.
Since the attack, Tippy sticks close to Swindell and watches him closely. It’s the dog’s 13th birthday on Dec. 6. There’s no cake on the menu — instead Swindell is making up a pot of venison stew to serve at the shop.
