Update: No compromise, both deer leave Molalla home
1 Comments Published by Pioneer Staff on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at 7:42 PM.
State police and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife officials took two deer that had been kept as pets from the home of Jim Filipetti and Francesca Mantei at about 7 p.m. this evening.
Keeping wildlife in captivity without a permit is illegal. But Mantei said the couple rescued Snowball, a crippled albino doe, when she was a fawn and the deer would have died otherwise. While in captivity, Snowball gave birth to Bucky, now an apparently healthy one-year-old buck.
Mantei said she was willing to hand Bucky over to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. But Snowball, who is unable to run or jump, would certainly not survive in her natural habitat. And if taken into ODFW custody, she could end up being euthanized if no licensed wildlife refuge is able to take her.
ODFW offered the couple the chance to release Snowball on their property, although not confined to a pen.
But the prospect of having their home open to periodic searches and the likelihood that the doe would wander off the property and become prey to dogs or other animals led Filipetti to refuse the compromise.
"Jim couldn't let her out of the pen. He couldn't have her be killed here," Mantei said. "He would rather have her humanely put to sleep."
With negotiations failing, the Oregon State Police produced a warrant to seize the two deer.
The deer were both shot with tranquilizer darts so that veterinarians could draw blood samples and do a brief examination of them before they were loaded into a trailer to be taken to an ODFW veterinary facility.
ODFW public information officer Christie Scott said the deer will be evaluated to make sure they are not carrying any diseases. Bucky has a high probability of being released in the wild, while the ODFW will seek a licensed facility, such as a petting zoo or wildlife refuge, that is able to take Snowball.
Failing that, the doe will be euthanized.
Keeping wildlife in captivity without a permit is illegal. But Mantei said the couple rescued Snowball, a crippled albino doe, when she was a fawn and the deer would have died otherwise. While in captivity, Snowball gave birth to Bucky, now an apparently healthy one-year-old buck.
Mantei said she was willing to hand Bucky over to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. But Snowball, who is unable to run or jump, would certainly not survive in her natural habitat. And if taken into ODFW custody, she could end up being euthanized if no licensed wildlife refuge is able to take her.
ODFW offered the couple the chance to release Snowball on their property, although not confined to a pen.
But the prospect of having their home open to periodic searches and the likelihood that the doe would wander off the property and become prey to dogs or other animals led Filipetti to refuse the compromise.
"Jim couldn't let her out of the pen. He couldn't have her be killed here," Mantei said. "He would rather have her humanely put to sleep."
With negotiations failing, the Oregon State Police produced a warrant to seize the two deer.
The deer were both shot with tranquilizer darts so that veterinarians could draw blood samples and do a brief examination of them before they were loaded into a trailer to be taken to an ODFW veterinary facility.
ODFW public information officer Christie Scott said the deer will be evaluated to make sure they are not carrying any diseases. Bucky has a high probability of being released in the wild, while the ODFW will seek a licensed facility, such as a petting zoo or wildlife refuge, that is able to take Snowball.
Failing that, the doe will be euthanized.
I'm happy to see how taxpayer money is being spent by the dept of fish and wildlife. I'm glad to see the money I have spent over the years for hunting permits, tags and licenses is being used to protect the public from dangerous people who take in wounded animals. Especially deer, who are almost as dangerous as pit bulls. I will sleep much better tonight knowing that "Snowball" is locked up in a secure facility where she can't hurt anyone. And hurray to the anonymous caller who turned them in to the ODFW. I'm sure that wouldn't be some neighbor who doesn't like them or someone that they have offended at some time who is now seeking revenge. The people at ODFW should be ashamed of themselves.