Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Dog attacks deer in Rock Creek

WASHINGTON -- US Park Police and the Washington Humane Society, which runs the city's animal control, both say they are investigating an incident captured on video in which a dog chases and attacks a deer.

It happened Sunday in Rock Creek Park.



The Humane Society says animal control has been looking for the injured deer ever since the attack, but have not been able to find it. They are hopeful it survived and are asking for the public's help in locating it.

The video is tough to watch. A dog refuses to leave a deer alone, no matter how many times its apparent owner calls its name.


District resident Peter Silverman shared his video of the attack with ABC7. He says it was horrifying to watch, and that initially, more than one dog was chasing the deer.

"The dog chased the deer all the way down here; they came crashing through here, and then eventually down to Rock Creek itself," he explains.

In the video, you can see a second dog also not on a leash, but it has calmed down. The other dog, however, would not calm down. Eventually, the dog chases the deer into the water.


It still refuses to listen to his owner, but eventually after being yelled at for some time, she manages to get her dog away. That's the last Peter saw of the deer -- it crawled onto the opposite bank, injured and bleeding.

He says he called animal control, but had to leave before anyone came out.

When ABC7 returned to the scene, the deer was no longer there -- and he fears that it died.

"This animal was suffering for no reason," he says.


Park Police say animal control came out to the park Sunday but couldn't find the injured deer.

A Rock Creek Park spokesperson says you can never really know how certain dogs will react to certain situations, and that's why the leash law applies to all dogs.

Violations are punishable by a fine.

(WJLA - Nov 3, 2013)

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