Keeping Deer Wild in Virginia

Why It's Important and How You Can Help

White-tailed deer are attractive animals that some people wish to rescue or keep as pets. However, keeping wild deer is illegal, and deer raised by humans can be dangerous. Moving tame or captive-reared deer may transmit harmful diseases to wild deer, livestock, and even humans. Unfortunately, tame deer often must be destroyed. Please do your part in keeping wild deer wild!

Why Deer Must Remain Wild

White-tailed deer and other native wildlife belong to the public. They are held in trust by the Commonwealth for the benefit of all Virginia residents. It is illegal for individuals to hold or confine deer or other wild animals without a permit (Code of Virginia §29.1-521, 4 VAC 15-30-40). The only facilities allowed to possess native or exotic deer in Virginia are permitted by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and are for educational or rehabilitation purposes.

States with newspaper reports of captive and free ranging deer attacking people during 1988-2004.

Deer, like all wild animals, are potentially dangerous to humans when threatened or confined. Deer kept in confinement lose their natural fear of humans. Fawns that are bottle-fed by humans become particularly aggressive as they mature. Mature male deer are most likely to attack people during the fall breeding season.

Moving deer from one place to another and/or confining them within captive facilities increases the risk of disease transmission to other wildlife, domestic animals, and humans. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis (TB) are two diseases that can be spread by confining or moving deer. VDGIF remains vigilant in its attempts to prevent these diseases from becoming established in the Commonwealth's white-tailed deer herd.

What Happens to Tame Deer

When VDGIF discovers a tame deer that is held illegally, Department personnel must confiscate and destroy the deer. This is an unpleasant but necessary duty. While anger is an understandable reaction to what seems a heartless act, euthanizing the animal is the best option. Why?

  1. VDGIF cannot ignore these illegally-held deer and leave them in private possession. It would also be irresponsible for the agency to ignore a human safety risk and a potential wildlife/livestock disease risk.
  2. A tame deer usually cannot be rehabilitated and/or released into the wild. Tame deer lose their natural fear of humans and instincts for surviving in the wild. They can become very demanding for attention or food from humans, which makes them dangerous. In some cases, hand-raised deer have caused human injury and death by goring and trampling.
  3. Because biologists cannot be sure of the origin of an illegally held deer, or what the deer has been exposed to, they cannot release it into the wild or place it in a zoo or nature park. It could transmit a disease to wildlife, domestic animals, or humans in the area where it is released.

What You Can Do to Help

To keep wild deer wild and to protect our wildlife resources, you can help by doing the following:

  1. If you find a fawn, please leave it where you found it. It is normal for female deer to leave their hidden fawns alone for long periods as the adults feed. When humans interfere, chances that a fawn will survive are greatly reduced. A truly injured or orphaned wild animal can be taken to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator (see the Licensed Rehabilitators list on this Web site or call 804-367-1258 to locate a rehabilitator).
  2. Report pet or tame deer to VDGIF. While you may hesitate to call if it means the deer will be destroyed, please know that you are doing the right thing. Addressing the problem early will reduce risks of human injury and animal disease transmission and prevent deer from being tamed and destroyed in the future.

Where You Can Get More Information

You can obtain more information about deer biology and management from the deer section of this Web site or by calling or visiting one of the Department's offices.