A trio of Palm Coast residents indignant at the euthanizing of a domesticated deer by throat-slitting in early October addressed the Dec. 5 meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and got what appeared to be an immediate response: FWC, one of whose officers was responsible for killing the animal, has changed its euthanizing policy to prevent similar outcomes in future.
“We just this morning finalized that official policy to ensure that situations like this won’t happen like that again,” FWC Executive Director Roger Young said. “We understand that there were some mistakes made and that we need to get better in that practice. And we finalized that policy this morning. So that’ll be made available.” He added: “Just want to make sure we’re clear and we hear you and we’re learning and we’re doing what we can to make it better.” A request to FWC for the new policy was not fulfilled before this article initially published.)
Mike Hansen had just finished giving the commission a brief biography of the relatively short life of the deer he’d rescued and adopted after finding him orphaned at the side of a road after his mother had been killed by a car. The deer, he said, “identified as a dog.” He acknowledged that it was a bit crazy for him to take in the deer, but the deer took to the domestication, responding th commands, acting like a family pet, walking in and out of the back door at will, enough to cause Hansen’s electric bills to shoot up to $500 a month. “It even started laughing like humans when I had friends around,” he said.
He named the deer Baboo.
The morning of Oct. 5, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to a complaint of a man being attacked by Baboo as the man was in his garden, who had allegedly “tried to gore” the 911 caller as well, according to 911 notes. The wife of the man took him to a clinic to get checked out. The extent of the man’s injuries are unclear (Hansen described the injuries as a “scratch,” and that the man hadn’t appreciated the deer eating his shrubs, but the deer had a broken antler, which could have caused a serious injury). Sheriff’s Agriculture/Ranch deputy Steve Williams responded, and called in an FWC officer.
“FWC told me to put it down if I get on scene first but not to shoot it in the head as it will need to be tested,” Williams reported in his notes. While not routine, it is not uncommon for deputies and other law enforcement officers to use their service weapons to kill deer in certain circumstances. But the approach may be different in an urban setting. “The deer could not be safely put down due to its location among the houses,” Williams reported. “Officer Harris from FWC arrived on scene and he agreed it was not safe to use a firearm to put the deer down.” It is not clear why killing the deer was the only option.
Williams was not the primary responder in that case: the FWC officer would be, and FWC policy would apply. In a long and disturbing sequence captured on his body cam and uploaded to the Palm Coast Observer’s YouTube channel–the Observer first reported the story in October–Williams, either just before the FWC’s officer’s arrival or with the officer standing by, is seen attempting to get control of the deer with a noose.
The deer was seemingly compliant, unafraid of being near Williams. “He’s not afraid of us at all,” Williams says. But as soon as the noose is around the deer’s neck, the deer begins to buck and fight, and Williams says the deer is attempting to go after him. The deer is eventually under control, and the FWC officer proceeds to cut him. But it’s not a quick end. (“This is what happens when people feed deer around here,” Williams says to an onlooking neighbor. “Now we got to put a deer down because somebody wants to feed ’em.”)
The deer fights, bleeds out over minute after painful minute as the video continues, life draining out of him and staining the grass red in front of 10 Cool Water Court. Another FWC officer wonders out loud why not put a bullet in the deer’s head, or behind his neck if his head had to be examined. The deer’s head could not be compromised so it could be examined in a necropsy in Gainesville.
“There is no playbook that says you slit an animal’s throat and wash it suffer for 15 to 20 minutes. There just is not one in any realm of any reality of law enforcement,” Hansen told the Commission in Orlando. He’d wished the deer had been at least allowed to go back into the woods. “Some training needs to get done. And that’s all I’m requesting for you all to do,” Hansen told the commission.
A Palm Coast couple had also addressed the commission, describing how “Baboo was nursed into self-sufficiency,” and was free to roam in and out of the house and into the nearby preserve. The resident the commission chair referred to as Joanne said “Baboo made a mistake on October 5 by coming into contact with a man who was in his yard pulling weeds.” She then described the deer’s last 15 minutes at the hands of the FWC officers and the deputy. Since they knew the animal was domesticated, they should have asked themselves, ” What do we do with a friendly domesticated neighborhood pet.” The FWC officers, she noted, did not have a tranquilizer kit.
Her husband, Jeff, pointed out inconsistencies between the way FWC narrated its incident report and what was evident in the video: the incident report implicitly skips over the 15 minutes of pain the deer endured. It was “at best misleading and at worst, a lie,” Jeff told the commission. “This gap would also not be discoverable by anyone investigating incidents of inhumane animal treatment.”
Skibum says
I’ll be the first to say I am glad to hear that FWC has modified it’s policy in response to the obvious and tragic way this deer was dispatched, because it never should be carried out in a way that prolongs the unnecessary suffering of an animal. There are lessons to be learned in this incident, and not just by FWC. The number 1 lesson I hope is loud and clear to everyone is that there is a very distinct difference between wildlife and pets. Nobody has a legal right to claim a deer as their own, that is unless you are Santa Claus.
cwinters says
The cops were all in the wrong here, not the guy who kept the deer. Yes, it was reckless, but the cops handled it all in the worst way possible and that is where all the attention needs to be focused. They should lose their jobs at the least, if not face criminal charges. The were looking for an excuse to kill for sport, and even laughed about taking the antlers. Disgusting. There were many ways they could have handled the situation, and killing the deer was not necessary. Common sense and empathy was required, both of which the cops were not good at.
mike oconnell says
Roger Young said we are learning ,How about knowing the job before you take it
Robert Joseph Fortier says
Very sad to read this report.
As a longtime owner of many different animals, this certainly could have been handled better.
Celia M Pugliese says
So sad for this innocent deer. How some people so eager to kill…I don’t understand breaks my heart! Thank you Pierre. Sorry for those neighbors loss of their friend pet. My sympathy to them. Most of us always try to save wildlife, but is like some are natural born killers.
Florida has something to learn:https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&ei=UTF-8&p=asheville+bears+in+the+city&type=E211US91088G0#id=1&vid=a6b332b626552c4d47b16234b2750c07&action=click
Christopher says
This is NOT a family pet,it is a wild animal that belongs in the wild, NOT in a house! The homeowner should be fined for keeping the deer in their home. Deer should have been brought to a animal rehab place right from the start back when it was found alongside the road!
cwinters says
The guy’s blame is secondary here by a long shot. The cops are all in the wrong for how they handled this. They wanted to kill. Who slits the deer’s throat like that? Its barbaric and they went to the most violent choice as a first response. The deer was clearly tame and could have been handled as such. The cops saw it and commented on it. The guy was reckless to keep the deer, but was acting out of a place of empathy. The cops were monsters here and should be fired at the very least. I hope the guy’s animal right’s. lawyer takes the case. This needs national exposure including showing the video on mass media outlets. The cops names should be public as well.
Bill C says
What a couple of heroes! Very Derek Chauvin-esque.
Ed says
So, the moral of the story is that some nutty resident tried to domesticate a wild animal who cannot “Identify” as anything other than a wild animal that acts on instinct. This caused the deer to attack another resident causing injuries (Not just scratches). The Sheriff and FWC response was obviously flawed but the incident would never had occurred if not for the misguided actions of the deer’s “Rescuer”.
Cyd Weeks says
Thank you. Totally agree. Is is sad the deer is dead? Yup. Did the deer do damage to a man (thank goodness he’s ok), Yup. Was the whole thing flawed? Yup. BECAUSE someone tried to make a ‘wild’ animal a “pet”. Thank you soo much the neighbor healed and is ok.
cwinters says
The deer was playing and the neighbor simply freaked out. There was no real damage. The deer was not dangerous, and any minor injury was accidental. The deer should have been transported to a facility that handles rehabilitated wildlife not tortured and butchered for 30 minutes on camera while officers laughed about taking the antlers. It was obvious to everyone involved the deer was tame. Sickening.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
Sick! Cruel and evil.
R.S. says
Jiminy Cricket! Mandatory assignment for those suffering bleeding hearts: take an hour’s worth of viewing of halal or kosher butchering practices. Then you may weep for the rest of the day. But it IS a shame that they couldn’t have found an alternative to let the family pet survive.
Hank Flagler says
Well to much to write on this matter. Let’s just highlight the facts!!
I am a Retired local First Responder!
1: all 4 LEOs should be fired!
2: unbelievable that FCSO Ranch 11 sounds like a back woods hillbilly! Scary that he is allowed to even drive a vehicle moreless carry a firearm!
3: Ranch 11 changed his story 3 times, from the deer being complacent, then friendly, wanting to play, to it running at him like a tiger on Crack!
4: FWC of all leos on scene were acting like the deer that has had its neck sliced, then shot, then stabed, was a 15ft cobra trying to bite them! Even in its last breath holding the rope for deer life!
5: I have personally been encountered by the FWC officer with the tattoos, at 11pm fishing with my son. When I arrived to Herschel King Park to fish, I saw him having dinner with his Family under the Pavilion. He left his family and jumped out of the bush’s at us about 500ft away. Wanted to know what kinda of bait we were using! Raw shrimp! Are you sure? Let me see! Never asked for my fishing license, that I offered up after the Navy seal sneak attack on us!
6: you go to jail if you keep a fish 1/2 inch to big! But you can slice, stab, shoot, and strangle a animal for no reason.
7: sure hope none of these LEOs vist our schools on career day and show that video to the little kids!
8: only thing missing from this shit show was our sheriff on horseback!
Jeanne Jain says
What I don’t understand is why no one is mentioning the fact that what was missing from the whole fiasco is a tranquilizer gun and an officer trained to use it! Making changes to the euthanasia policy does not correct the fact FWC officers should be carrying tranquilizer guns and know how to use them. This is far from the first instance where a tranquilizer gun should have been available to an FWC officer to control a situation.
Christopher says
You still don’t keep a wild deer as a pet! This guy should be fined for doing so. Now that the deer has been fed like a “pet” it probably will have no fear of people and have hard time living in the wild.
Jeanne says
No, it won’t have a hard time living in the wild because it is dead.
JimboXYZ says
After watching the video, why didn’t they just shoot the animal with a tranquilizer dart ? You know, like those old Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom TV shows ? Take the animal to a deer farm or out in the Ocala forest somewhere ? I mean, they go out of their way to Narcan & save drug addicts. Is there really any difference here ?
Christopher says
Yes the difference is ! Even though a person is a drug addict they are still a person! A deer is not to be a pet for someone !
John newman says
I would like to comment on Mike Hansons comment about the man having a scratch on his hand….I am the men that was hurt that day…I had over ten punctures and injuries to my hand legs and angles….while none of them to serious two of my wounds became infected…I had to go through ten days of strong antibiotics…This so called pet should been turned over to the proper authorities right away and none of this would transpired.
Lisa says
I’m very curious as to WHY neither you nor any of the neighbors called FWC right away when it was known that your neighbors were keeping a deer. Do you not know that it is illegal to keep and feed wildlife like that? The animal should have been sent to a licensed rehab agency ASAP. That didn’t happen, and it led to the poor little deer suffering a terrible death.
No says
So let’s KILL IT BY SLITTING IT’S THROAT! I guess strong antibiotics is worse!.
J.W. says
Is this how Americans want to be seen?
Cruel and unnecessary!
Sparks says
You people are Barbaric!!! What is wrong with you. Reclocate you idiots.
Rob Carver says
If the buck was not neutered it Would be quite dangerous during rut both reguardless of and because of its socialization with humans. More than a few pet bucks have killed their “owner” when the owner unknowingly gave a visual challenge que during rut. Simply facing his pet deer, bending over to take photo got a man brutally killed.
Concerned Citizen says
The person who tried to domesticate this animal is 100% responsible for this outcome.
Likewise Law Enforcement needs to be trained better on how to handle these type of interactions. Not everything with 4 legs or crawls/slithers is meant to live with you. Unless you are an animal rescue/rehab let nature be.
Jimbob says
Did the well meaning neighbors “domesticate” the deer out of “rut”?1
T says
Person who did it should lose job and be looked into
Shar says
Quit feeding the wildlife. This wouldn’t have happened and that beautiful animal would still be running free.
William Moya says
Quit destroying their habitat, they are another species in our ecosystem.
FlaglerLocal says
This video is absolutely disgusting and that deer was made to suffer.
The idiot who cut his throat needs to be charged with animal cruelty and the idiot who tried to domesticate a wild animal needs to be charged as well. Too bad we can’t charge people with stupidity.
Idiots in PC says
Morons….ALL of them……Freaking MORONS !
Can’t wait to see these clowns “protecting” us when the 8 million illegal MALE aliens turn on the USA.
Me, I will fend for myself and my family. You idiots can go shoot and slash the throats of the terrorist when they come for you.
STANLEY WOLAK says
YOU ALL SHOULD BE FIRED FOR SUCH A BRUTAL ACT, YOU GUYS ARE SICK !!!
Sue Efant says
The way this pet deer was killed was nothing short of barbaric. I expected better from FWC. I honestly thought that they cared about the welfare of animals. Instead of cutting the poor deer’s throat, and watching the poor animal fight for it’s life; for God’s sake, carry a tranquilizer gun or contact the deer’s caretaker before taking action. I’ll never trust FWC again.
Laurel says
So, this is how the FWC is trained to deal with the very wildlife they are supposed to protect? The fur should be flying at the central office. If it was a panther, bobcat or coyote, should they slit the throats there too? This is protocol? Where are the tranquilizing darts? Are darts a new concept? FWC should be embarrassed beyond recognition.
Now, back to the “owners.” Did they have a permit to keep a wild animal? Was it legally kept within their property? Had it been vaccinated? Was it properly nourished by the so called owners? What in the hell were they thinking, if they were thinking anything at all? They certainly were not thinking of the wild animal. Is it a new concept for them to consider the deer’s best interest before their own wants, or was it just too much fun to show off?
This is a failure all the way around, starting with the selfishness of the people feeding the wild, baby deer. A proper rescue would be capturing the baby animal, preferably by trained authorities, and turned over to a wildlife rehabilitation center. There the animal could have been properly rehabilitated, nourished and released back into the wild. Clearly FWC officers had bad advice, or bad judgement, or both, instead of proper training. Because of these judgements, that poor deer suffered a sad and painful death thanks to people with their heads up their…
Kennedy P Yelvington says
Could FWC have dispatched this buck more humanely? Sure, but shooting him, cutting him, or whatever would have been completely avoided had a PC resident not tried to domesticate him to begin with. Deputies are not equipped or trained to deal with this, in the instance of what’s the quickest way to deal with it, then they should have shot it behind the shoulder once it was pinned to the ground. Take out the lungs/heart the deer would die within seconds.
When the buck was a yearling, separated from its mother, it would have survived on its own, or fallen victim to a bobcat, coyote, vehicle eventually. That’s nature’s way, should have let it play out and not feed the deer to begin with.