Oh Deer, Oh Deer, Oh Deer

Matt called on his way home about a week ago to inform me he was bringing home a small buck that he had seen at a customer's home. It was on the customer's back patio and when it saw Matt, it came right up to him and allowed him to pet him and licked his hand. The customer said she didn't know where it had come from and Matt wanted to show the kids so he picked it up and brought it home. Mistake #1. The kids of course loved it and had a lot of fun over the next few days feeding, watering, and petting this deer. Matt had called for a permit to keep it first thing but this permit didn't come right away and he soon decided he needed to alert the Game Warden. Phillip had claimed "Buddy" as his pet since Austin and Katlyn have ponies. The Game Warden came this morning after the kids were off to school and Matt off to work. I went out and showed him the deer in the fence with the ponies. The deer came running right up to me and nuzzled his nose on me. The Warden was very reserved and not so trusting. He asked if there were any kids around that would get upset if he used the tranquilizer gun. I told him no but he didn't need to use it. I would hold the deer while he administered a shot. He wasn't too sure if that would work but was willing to try. I fed "Buddy" an apple and the Warden was able to get a quick shot in before he jumped. It didn't take long and the deer got very sleepy. I asked him what they planned on doing with the deer and he said they would take him to a rehab and then try to reintroduce him into the wild. I'm not so sure that is a wise thing but who am I? The truth is, it was fun to see a friendly deer up close but this deer will be a completely different story come next fall. There will be no sign of the calm demeanor. The Game Warden suggested if we wanted to raise a pet deer we should get one from a deer farm at birth and have the kids raise it from birth. We have the permit application now and I guess we'll see what happens. We do not live on a farm!!!! At some point we are going to have to stop taking in any and all types of animals. I do not like indoor pets although we do have lizards and fish. During this last ice storm Matt and Austin went out to put the ponies in the barn with some straw but the deer would not stay in. It kept bolting outside. Matt just let it stay and the next morning they found it asleep under a big pile of leaves. It was happiest in it's natural habitat.