After Fenton! : What dogs do to deer in Richmond Park

[dgilmour9]

I asked if you saw a dog attack this particular buck?

[deerisible]

@dgilmour9

See previous response. I hope you haven't been waiting up for this. It seems to me we could be standing by the side of the A22 (a notorious spot for deer road-kill) next to a still-twitching corpse and you'd be saying "Did you see a car hit it?" Obviously if you're local to Richmond Park and know what happened better than we do then speak out.

[dgilmour9]

I have seen this many times in wild and farmed deer, and can usually be attributed to damage caused by catching limbs in fences/wire. Did you see a dog attacking this animal? or are you simply guessing that a dog caused this injury?

[deerisible]

@dgilmour9

I have seen numerous high-speed dog chases in this area of the park, several involving this animal and others involving other bucks. Many have happened after dark over ground covered in anthills and through woodland where loose timber is left lying around. I have even found people running dogs loose in that area near to the deer at 02:30 in the morning (why?). Sprains are frequent. Mercifully injuries like this one are rare. 

[huntingwithdogs]

I suppose now they'll shoot the victim?

[deerisible]

@huntingwithdogs

Sadly a fallow buck needs two back legs so he will leave the park in the February cull when all the bucks' contracts come up for renewal. Fortunately for him it's been a mild winter and there are still acorns on the ground for him to feed on. My feeling is that he has pulled himself back enough to buy himself a few weeks of grace though had I seen this injury shortly after it had happened his career would have stopped there.