Fawn friendship resolves deer drama for B.C. woman allowed to keep doe as pet

UCLUELET, B.C. – A Vancouver Island woman and the deer she has raised from a fawn as a pet won’t be forced to separate.

B.C. Environment Minister Terry Lake says the province will permit Janet Schwartz and the animal named Bimbo to continue living together, with the help of a veterinarian and conservation officers.

The decision comes as the longtime Ucluelet, B.C., resident was facing the second call for removal of the deer in three years, according to media reports.

Lake says that as a veterinarian himself, he’s well aware of the bonding that takes place between people and their pets.

He says ministry experts are highly concerned about the habituation of the animal and understand there are risks associated with removing an animal that has become accustomed to a home setting.

Media reports say Schwartz has lived with the creature for more than 10 years, feeding it goat’s milk and allowing it to sleep in a bed with her and her dog.