Determined to intervene, Jean-François Wilket then came to the lady’s aid but the deer turned on him, dragging him violently for several metres into the street. A neighbour then saved the local councillor by throwing stones which scared the mammal away. Having been informed of the accident, the Nature and Forestry Department (DFN) decided to take a drastic decision by starting a search for the deer with instructions to shoot it. A decision which caused the inhabitants of the Liège municipality of just over 10,000 inhabitants to react.
A petition launched
Indeed, a petition was launched on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, to prevent the animal from being killed. “While we regret what happened with regard to the councilor, JF Wilket, who himself recognizes that this young deer is not a wild animal and appears to have been domesticated, it is shocking that the only solution proposed by Mr. JF Wilket is to call on “his hunting friends” to have this unfortunate animal killed. There are certainly other solutions. It is not certain that its owner will come forward, but it would probably be possible to reintroduce it into an animal park since it appears tamed.
The creators of the petition have also launched an appeal for various people to take responsibility for changing this decision. “We appeal to the mayor of Beyne-Heusay, to the alderman for animal welfare in this municipality, to the Walloon minister for animal welfare, so that a solution is found for this young deer that seems to be wandering and accustomed to human beings. That its slaughter by hunters is considered the only solution is shocking. It is certainly possible to find an arrangement with an animal park.”
Since then, the petition has collected more than 1,600 signatures and many comments in favor of saving the deer, which remains missing at the time of writing.
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