Black's girlfriend, Carol Deyo, a former surgical veterinary technician, patched up the animal after trying to find a veterinarian or deer sanctuary to care for the injured fawn. The couple, who lived outside Mount Vernon, were told nothing existed and Ohio law prohibits keeping deer as pets. They had one option: euthanize the animal, Carol's daughter, Joli Deyo said.
"But he had so much will to live. Who could put down a little deer like that?" Deyo asked.
So, the family adopted Trooper. Later, they cared for another deer, named Patch, and several injured raccoon. That was until a family friend turned Carol Deyo over to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for illegally keeping the animals. The ban on caring for deer was in place to prevent chronic wasting disease, a contagious and fatal brain disease.
Carol Deyo was charged with possessing wild animals and state officials threatened to kill the animals. After a long fight on social media and the courtroom, the offense was dismissed. Carol Deyo was permitted to keep the animals as long as she didn't take in any others, Joli Deyo said.
Shortly after, Deyo, who was battling breast cancer, died at age 66.
"My mom’s life got cut a little short," Joli Deyo said. "She kept fighting and not thinking of herself."
Trooper and Patch were saved but animal activists want to ensure no other injured fawns will be killed unnecessarily.
A proposal from Rep. Margaret Ruhl, R-Mount Vernon, would allow veterinarians to rehabilitate injured deer to release into the wild and create deer sanctuaries for those that cannot return. It's called Trooper's Law.
Individuals could apply for a deer sanctuary license through the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Any fawns would require regular veterinarian visits and the facilities would be inspected to prevent chronic wasting disease, Ruhl said. If approved, they could raise injured deer without penalties from state law.
Ohio Department of National Resources staff are reviewing the proposal with Ruhl and other lawmakers, spokeswoman Bethany McCorkle said.
If police officers find injured deer, they would decide whether to shoot the animal humanely or take it to a licensed sanctuary. Police officers would be trained on which option is best in which scenario.
They also would be prohibited from shooting a deer in front of children younger than 16, Ruhl said.
A petition to change Ohio's rules on injured deer garnered more than 18,000 signatures online. Ruhl said she was surprised by how many people take in injured deer.
"There’s probably more than we realize," she said.
The proposal was introduced this fall with bipartisan support. Ruhl hopes it will pass by the end of next year. Joli Deyo said the change is important to finish her mother's fight.
"The animals were a huge part of her life while fighting her cancer. That was one of the reasons she was fighting so hard to beat cancer," she said. "I want to see to it that everything gets done."
(Bucyrus Telegraph Forum - Oct 16, 2015)
Earlier:
- Woman Wants To Keep Rescued Deer On Farm
- Former vet tech faces fine, jail for saving raccoons, deer
- Deal allows Knox County woman to keep pet deer, raccoons
- Ohio wildlife officials shoot and kill friendly deer. Why? Follow the money trail. They want to protect the deer which then get chased by dogs, shot with arrows and shot to death by PAYING hunters
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