This story is part of Worthington Pulse's coverage of the July 13 City Council meeting.
Aggressive deer have injured pets and at least one person in Worthington this summer, city staff told council Monday night. Staff have verified six incidents this season, including a dog that was fatally injured and a resident who was hospitalized after a doe attacked her while she tried to protect her dogs. The report came as the city outlined changes to its winter deer removal program, which is likely to start earlier, run longer, and target more deer than its first season.
Six verified incidents, likely more
Management Assistant Riley Hoover, who coordinates the deer program, told council she has verified six separate incidents this season, with multiple residents sometimes reporting the same event. One involved two dogs attacked by a doe; one did not survive. In another, a resident trying to help her dogs was attacked herself and went to the hospital for stitches on her arms.
A council member said the fatal attack happened on their own street, that their dog was attacked by what they believe was the same doe a month earlier, and that awareness is heightened in Worthington Estates, particularly along the river. Other council members described feeling vulnerable while walking their dogs and worried about young children stepping in to protect a pet.
Staff said the vast majority of aggressive-deer reports involve dogs. Protective does with fawns are the most common trigger during fawning season, which runs roughly March into July. Beyond that time period, bucks also turn aggressive during the fall rut, and the city has received reports of aggressive bucks even in midwinter. "Based on our reports, the aggressive behavior can be year round," staff said.
What residents can do now
The city's authority over wildlife outside its winter removal window is limited. Aggressive-deer response belongs to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. City Manager Robyn Stewart told council that if a specific deer shows repeated, unusually high aggression, residents can contact the Division of Wildlife, which decides whether to come out and dispatch that animal. She cautioned that the determination is the state's, not the city's. Hoover noted one state wildlife officer covers most of Franklin County, so callers need to be able to identify the specific deer when the officer arrives.
Two city rules bear directly on the problem:
- Don't feed deer. Worthington has a no-feeding ordinance, and staff said aggressive behavior often traces back to deer whose behavior changed because people fed them. Suspected violations can be reported on the city website, which sends a code enforcement officer out.
- Watch the dogs. Because dogs are involved in most incidents, staff suggest extra caution when deer are nearby with pets in the yard or on walks.
The city's website carries safety tips for aggressive deer encounters, including the Division of Wildlife contact number. Council members pressed for that information to travel further: through social media, printed handouts at the community center and library, seasonal reminders, short-form video, and possibly yard signs in high-activity areas. Staff said the city has communicated on deer for years, including a citywide mailer, and will run another round. Because reports come from every neighborhood, the city has favored blanket communication over signs in specific areas.
A bigger removal season is taking shape
The city is already planning the second season of its targeted removal program with USDA Wildlife Services, the federal contractor that conducted the first season in January and February. Changes under discussion [1:14:52]:
- An earlier, longer window. December through February, possibly into early March, rather than concentrating operations in January and February. USDA told the city that spreading out operational nights could make each night more productive; per-night removal numbers ran lower than expected in the first season.
- A higher target. The removal goal will be set with USDA and the Ohio Division of Wildlife, which issues the permit and has final say on the authorized number. Stewart said there would be "some benefit to look to a higher number this year". The first season reached only the lower end of its target window while operating more nights than planned.
- Direct sign-up with USDA. Property owners who want to enroll their land will register directly with USDA rather than through the city, matching how the agency runs most of its contracts.
Other program details, including the meat processor and field-dressing arrangements, are expected to stay the same. USDA also expects to add a contract with another Central Ohio city this winter, which staff said makes coordinating operational nights across the region part of the planning.
One council member raised a caution about the December start: the operation would run during the holiday season, when children are out of school. The member also noted the emotional toll the program carries for some residents who opposed it.
The city posts deer program information and residents can sign up for email updates at worthington.org, and the Deer Task Force's work is documented on the city's Deer Task Force page.
Worthington pulse has also covered deer management in Worthington extensively.
This is one of 3 Worthington Pulse stories from the July 13 meeting recap.