A deer was euthanized by officials after allegedly attacking a man in Palm Coast. Now, some neighbors are upset about the way the buck was killed. Michael Hansen found Baboo the deer, on the side of the road over a year ago. “The mother died giving birth, and he wouldn’t leave the mother,” Hansen said. “I picked it up, brought it home.”He thought he’d only have Baboo for a few days, but the deer never left. He quickly became a part of the family.”I’d wake up every morning, like six in the morning, go have coffee with him,” Hansen said. “Pet him. He’d be laying on the couch at night.”Hansen says he was a friendly guy. That is until early October when Baboo allegedly attacked a neighbor.”I was out picking leaves, and I had my back, and I was pushed over,” said John Newman. “Knocked over from behind.”When Newman rolled over, he said the deer came down into his leg.”I stood up, and he came at me,” Newman said. “I put my hands up to protect myself.” Neighbors called 911, and that’s when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife officials showed up. According to the incident report, they lassoed the deer and immobilized it. After that, an FWC official cut the deer’s carotid artery.But this is where Hansen thinks they could’ve done better. After watching the body cam video, the deer was still alive for a few minutes. “You let him breathe and gasped for 15 minutes,” Hanson said.Hansen believes he suffered. That is until an FWC official arrived and shot the buck in his chest.One neighbor saw it all happen. “They wouldn’t stop,” said Bradley Boyd. “They wouldn’t stop. So we witnessed the entire thing. It was 27 minutes of what I call terror.”The victim said he didn’t wish for this deer to die. “I’ve seen him around the neighborhood,” Newman said. “I love animals.”Newman said he didn’t call 911. He went to the doctor’s to get his wounds cleaned and disinfected. He said when he got back home, the deer was already dead. Now, Baboo’s owners are left with hundreds of photos from his time with them. They treasure the last 18 months with their deer. “He touched a lot of people’s lives,” Hansen said. “He touched mine more than anybody’s, but he was a beautiful, beautiful creature.”In a statement, FWC said wild animals are never allowed to be kept as pets. They added, “Any injured, orphaned, or abandoned animals must be brought to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator for rehabilitation. Caring for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife beyond the time necessary to transport the animal to a permitted rehabilitator is against the law.”There will be no charges filed against the owner at this time. As for the way the deer was killed, FWC said the decision to sever an artery in the deer’s neck and later shoot him was to keep the brain of the deer intact to later test him.FWC said the rabies test came back negative, and they’re still waiting for the results of the chronic wasting disease test.FWC said public safety and humane treatment are taken into account when putting an animal down. They made sure no neighbors were looking when the buck was shot. Boyd, who witnessed the event, started up a GoFundMe me page to create a memorial for Baboo. He said any funds left over will be sent to the Wildlife Rescue Coalition.Top headlines:Listen to news and weather headlines with the WESH 2 podcastVolusia mother who vanished after party found deadDeputies: Man dies after Polk County road rage shooting
A deer was euthanized by officials after allegedly attacking a man in Palm Coast. Now, some neighbors are upset about the way the buck was killed.
Michael Hansen found Baboo the deer, on the side of the road over a year ago.
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“The mother died giving birth, and he wouldn’t leave the mother,” Hansen said. “I picked it up, brought it home.”
He thought he’d only have Baboo for a few days, but the deer never left. He quickly became a part of the family.
“I’d wake up every morning, like six in the morning, go have coffee with him,” Hansen said. “Pet him. He’d be laying on the couch at night.”
Hansen says he was a friendly guy. That is until early October when Baboo allegedly attacked a neighbor.
“I was out picking leaves, and I had my back, and I was pushed over,” said John Newman. “Knocked over from behind.”
When Newman rolled over, he said the deer came down into his leg.
“I stood up, and he came at me,” Newman said. “I put my hands up to protect myself.”
Neighbors called 911, and that’s when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife officials showed up. According to the incident report, they lassoed the deer and immobilized it. After that, an FWC official cut the deer’s carotid artery.
But this is where Hansen thinks they could’ve done better. After watching the body cam video, the deer was still alive for a few minutes.
“You let him breathe and gasped for 15 minutes,” Hanson said.
Hansen believes he suffered.
That is until an FWC official arrived and shot the buck in his chest.
One neighbor saw it all happen.
“They wouldn’t stop,” said Bradley Boyd. “They wouldn’t stop. So we witnessed the entire thing. It was 27 minutes of what I call terror.”
The victim said he didn’t wish for this deer to die.
“I’ve seen him around the neighborhood,” Newman said. “I love animals.”
Newman said he didn’t call 911. He went to the doctor’s to get his wounds cleaned and disinfected. He said when he got back home, the deer was already dead.
Now, Baboo’s owners are left with hundreds of photos from his time with them. They treasure the last 18 months with their deer.
“He touched a lot of people’s lives,” Hansen said. “He touched mine more than anybody’s, but he was a beautiful, beautiful creature.”
In a statement, FWC said wild animals are never allowed to be kept as pets. They added, “Any injured, orphaned, or abandoned animals must be brought to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator for rehabilitation. Caring for sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife beyond the time necessary to transport the animal to a permitted rehabilitator is against the law.”
There will be no charges filed against the owner at this time.
As for the way the deer was killed, FWC said the decision to sever an artery in the deer’s neck and later shoot him was to keep the brain of the deer intact to later test him.
FWC said the rabies test came back negative, and they’re still waiting for the results of the chronic wasting disease test.
FWC said public safety and humane treatment are taken into account when putting an animal down. They made sure no neighbors were looking when the buck was shot.
Boyd, who witnessed the event, started up a GoFundMe me page to create a memorial for Baboo. He said any funds left over will be sent to the Wildlife Rescue Coalition.
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