LAMBERTVILLE, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – A situation in Monroe County has many saying, “Oh dear!”
Authorities say deer from the Indian Creek Zoo in Lambertville are now on the run. Monroe County sheriff’s deputies say the zoo’s fence recently suffered damage, allowing the deer to escape. The incident has prompted reactions from many people in the area.
“We’ve got some real bad guys out there… and that’s a shame,” said Richard Rousselo, one of several local hunters in the area. “We were there last summer to feed them, and it’s a shame that someone would do that; they’re probably not afraid of people. They’ll probably walk right up to someone.”
Locals like Rousselo find the incident bizarre, especially since he has taken his family to the zoo before. As a hunter, he thinks the deer have stayed local.
“They may not go that far because they know their food and habitat is there,” he said.
More than ten deer reportedly escaped after the gate was opened. The hope is that the animals can be rescued and returned, but with hunters in the area, time is running out.
“The regular gun season is closed, but the late archery season is open until Jan. 1,” Rousselo said.
CBS News Detroit learned that the exotic deer quickly become noticeable, making them a target. Many have a different pigment and an all-round color.
“A lot of them are what they called piebald, part white, part brown, different colors,” Rousselo said.
Authorities are still investigating who caused the gate to open.
Terell Bailey
