Home CCTV catches deer running into family house
A woman who was amazed to find a young roe deer chasing her dogs outside her home said the animal then stayed at her house for nearly three weeks.
She and her husband said they had called the RSPCA for help after the deer's dramatic arrival - caught on home CCTV footage - but were told to leave it alone so that it could leave of its own accord.
However the young buck, nicknamed Little Roe, then created a "den" in the corner of the property in Litherland and truly made itself feel at home.
The RSPCA told the BBC that, after consulting wildlife experts, it had concluded the deer was "best left alone" due to the risks associated with trying to capture it.
The property owner, who is in her 40s but did not wish to be named, said the deer eventually wandered off nearly three weeks after its arrival on 8 September.
She said she remained concerned for the deer's safety, however, after several recent sightings in the local area, including one in a supermarket car park.
The woman said she was "gobsmacked" that the RSPCA had declined to rescue the deer when she had first reported what had happened.
The couple said they had left carrots and horse treats outside for the deer to eat.
She said the RSPCA "only opened a case" when informed the deer was wandering to her patio doors for food, because they feared it was becoming "tame".
"The agreement was that they were waiting for an expert from Derby to come to 'dart it' and take it to a nature reserve, but then nobody ever came or got back in touch with me," the woman said.
Recalling when she first saw the deer, she said: "I heard a commotion and when I went to the back door the dogs were running in, scared.
"When I looked outside there was a roe deer buck looking at me so, obviously, I shut the door at him and thought 'What the hell's going on?'"
She said she was advised by the RSPCA to leave the gate open to allow the deer to make its own way home, but the buck seemed very content to stay put.
The resident said she was told not to approach it, as deer can cause serious injuries with their antlers.
"I got in touch with [the RSPCA] over a couple of days, told them 'no, the deer is still here'.
"It had lots to eat, I think it knew that it was safe with me because it kept coming on to the property."
The couple then settled into a new routine with their unexpected new lodger.
The woman said she would make a noise to warn it of their presence when they needed to use their garden, and it would then head into the bushes.
After almost three weeks the deer left and has since been seen in a nearby business premises.
Social media posts also reported sightings of what is believed to be the same animal at a nearby Tesco store as recently as 31 January.
The RSPCA said that while deer traditionally live in forests, moors and parkland they are becoming more common in urban environments.
A spokesperson said the deer was monitored over a period of several months and showed "no significant signs of injury, illness, or immediate risk to its welfare".
It said RSPCA officers had attempted to find the deer on 31 December but had been unsuccessful.
"Any attempt to capture or rescue the deer would carry a high level of risk," the spokesperson said.
"Deer are easily frightened animals and can easily injure themselves if chased or stressed in any way.
"Intervention could have put the deer's safety at risk, as well as endanger anyone attempting the rescue."
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