Woman Ordered to Release Pet Deer After 10 Years, Now Being Allowed to Keep It

**kellyhound** · #1 ● 01-20-2013, 09:23 AM

A woman in B.C who was ordered to release Bimbo, her pet deer, is now being allowed to keep it.

Janet Schwartz, who has shared her home and yard with the black-tailed deer for the last 10 years, received a letter from the ministry of environment informing her she had to free the animal immediately or face charges.

That decision was overturned Friday by B.C.'s environment minister Terry Lake, who said a team of experts will be working with Schwartz to ensure Bimbo's safety.

“As a veterinarian, I am very aware of the bonding that takes place between people and their pets,” Lake said.

“I am confident that by working with the provincial veterinarian and trained Conservation officer staff, Ms. Schwartz will be able to follow a plan of care that will see her and Bimbo continue to live together.”

In an interview, Schwartz said, "I have no plans of releasing her, no way.

I don't care if they charge me, I don't care if we have to go to jail, i'm going to keep her.

I've had her for 10 years. She's my baby and I just can't let her go."

AmericanIllusions · #2 ● 01-20-2013, 09:56 AM

Its not one of those huge ones so why not. But where does that thing use the bathroom at

icheerthebull · #3 ● 01-20-2013, 10:17 AM

she probably shouldnt have kept it in the first place but after 10 years I doubt it could survive in the wild

Gh007 · #4 ● 01-20-2013, 02:16 PM

Ordinances like this are supposed to stop people from trapping and trading wild animals, not to mention the risk of injury... because the animals are wild and instincts make them unable to be domesticated in most cases. But there's the letter of the law that says she shouldn't keep it, but the spirit of the law means it would be inhumane to force her to give up the deer.