Monroe County, Michigan finds itself grappling with an unexpected issue after over a dozen exotic deer managed a breakout from the Indian Creek Zoo, with indications that their escape was no accident. According to the Monroe County Sheriff's investigators cited by CBS News Detroit, there's potential that the zoo's fence damage was an act of vandalism, letting the deer loose.
Local authorities and residents are currently on the lookout for 14 escapees who are not only unaccustomed to the wild and local hazards, such as traffic but also represent a potential safety risk. "I just don't need a deer out in the road and somebody gets hurt, you know, some young kid or old person," lamented Joe Garvercik, owner of the Indian Creek Zoo, in a statement obtained by WXYZ. Garvercik was shaken by the event, which forced the zoo to close down for the season while the search intensified. He also revealed that "Somebody physically cut it," referring to the fence designed to contain the zoo's fallow deer, a species originating from Asia.
As the chase continues, there's a race against time due to the open late archery hunting season, which could put the deer at further risk. "Regular gun season is closed, but late archery season is open all the way until January first," Richard Rousselo, one of the many local hunters and concerned citizens, informed CBS News Detroit. The deer, described as friendly and acclimated to human interaction by zoo staff, stand out with their distinctive piebald coloring, which only emphasizes their vulnerability in this scenario.
Previous controversies haunting the Indian Creek Zoo have come into focus amidst this debacle. Reports by WXYZ recalled a fine imposed on the zoo in 2022, following an animal welfare investigation initiated by PETA. The conjecture is that the deliberate sabotage might tie back to animal rights activism, a suspicion inflamed by the organization's statement, "Run, deer, run! It comes as no surprise that these deer would want to flee from Indian Creek Zoo given this facility’s disturbing history of animal welfare violations, including allowing sick deer to suffer without adequate veterinary care. PETA hopes these deer aren’t going from the frying pan to the fire and if they are recaptured, they are sent to a reputable facility that will keep them safe and give them the care they deserve," said Debbie Metzler, PETA Foundation Senior Director of Captive Wildlife.
PETA, however, has strongly denied involvement in the deer's release, emphasizing they do not put any animal in harm's way. Meanwhile, the staff at Indian Creek Zoo, as reported by WXYZ, is scouring through security footage, hoping to identify any culprits while continuing to retrieve the tame deer that are simply "not fair for them in the wild," according to zoo staff.
