BRYANT, Ark. (KARK) — An elderly Bryant man and a baby deer’s heartwarming bond took a heartbreaking turn on Thursday.
“I just want to take it to the farm or take it somewhere to run loose.” Tommy Powell says he called AR Game & Fish to find out how to do that but was told he has to voluntarily give over the deer to be killed or face a fine; officers here but no movement yet #ARNews pic.twitter.com/dlXrTOMR1I— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) September 13, 2018
The 81-year-old said he called Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to find out how to get a fawn to his farm. Tommy Powell said the young buck showed up months ago abandoned and alone. The deer did not leave Powell’s side.
It is illegal to have a pet deer. AGFC said he had to voluntarily give them the deer to euthanize or he would face a fine.
Powell said that if he knew he could face a fine and the deer would be dead that he never would have called AFGC for help from the beginning.
The 81-year-old allowed us on his property but didn’t want to talk on camera with everything going on Thursday.
Powell questioned his call for help as he said goodbye to the fawn he named “Baby.”
Kody Freeman was at her mother’s house. Her mom lives next door to Powell.
She said, “It’s devastating, actually.”
Powell said the baby deer showed up months ago. Since then, he said, he has cared for the deer.
We watched as neighbors and children visited his home to see the deer.
Freeman said, “The deer has not caused any disturbances or anything like that. My mother’s a witness that it will eat vegetation
She was shocked to hear Powell’s call to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for help to move “Baby” to his farm turned into officers showing up to euthanize the baby deer Thursday.
“Wow! Which makes that even more sad [sic] because they should have come and got the animal and let it go,” she said.
The assistant chief of communications with AGFC Randy Zellars arrived on scene Thursday afternoon to talk with media.
Randy Zellars said, “This is the last thing that anyone at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wants to do. Believe me.”
Zellars said euthanizing the deer is something they had to do for multiple reasons including public safety.
Mr. Powell says he’s let the deer out of the fence but “baby” (as he calls him) won’t leave his presence. We’re waiting on Game & Fish to get out here to talk w/ us. ARG&F spokesperson confirms the deer will be tranquilized then euthanized. #ARNews pic.twitter.com/JpQJJMnChQ— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) September 13, 2018
“Its lost its fear of humans. It lost its fear of dogs, cats other animals. And it lost its fear of cars and traffic and things like that,” Zellars said.
He also told us that relocating the deer was not an option because of confirmed Chronic Wasting Disease in part of the Natural State’s deer population.
He said, “So, we have to take precautions for the entire deer heard because of that.”
Powell did not want to sign a paper releasing the deer to the officers. However, he did sign it because he did not want to get a fine or face a judge.
Freeman said, “This is absolutely ridiculous and it’s not OK.”
She said she’s a hunter.
“I’ve thought highly of Game and Fish for a very long time. Again being a hunter myself with my father this is hitting home for me,” she said.
Freeman still could not wrap her mind around the situation. She said she thinks the deer would be ok to be released into the woods.
“You don’t kill something that you’re not going to eat. You just don’t,” she said.
Update: AR Game & Fish tranquilized the fawn and will be taking it now to be euthanized. A spokesperson w/ the Dept came to the scene to break down why officers “had to” go that route. Working on this FULL report for @KARK4News at 5. #ARNews pic.twitter.com/0gXPJRmm8b— Price McKeon (@PriceMcKeon) September 13, 2018
AGFC said people cannot eat the meat from the deer because of the tranquilizer officers use to catch the deer before it is euthanized.
We learned biologists will try to collect samples to test for Chronic Wasting Disease.
