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Deer attacks in one metro city have dog owners looking over their shoulders

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — Peachtree City residents told Channel 2 Action News the deer are charging at their animals and causing a handful of dogs to get hurt and one even died from its injuries.

“We are not talking dogs attacking the deer, and the deer retaliating. We are talking people that are walking their innocent dogs down the pathway being chased, being followed and even being attacked,” says resident Christy Daniels.

In recent weeks, encounters with deer have taken a scary turn for some Peachtree City dog owners.

“The deer had raised up on its back two legs and came down on her with its front two hooves at least twice,” said Carolyn Taylor, who told us just a couple weeks ago, she was on a walk on the cart path near Mantle Court with her two dogs when they came across a deer.

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She gave us video she took moments before she says the deer charged her other dog, a basset hound named Penny.

“I heard this horrible, like, 'Erk, erk,' which was Penny getting stomped,” said Taylor.

Penny got away with just scrapes and bruises. Other dogs are not so lucky.

“One of them I know had a $1,200 vet bill,” Daniels said.

Some dogs have died. We spoke with one man who told us the injuries his beagle got from an attack were so bad he had to put her down.

Dog are not the only target.

“The deer was definitely after us trying to get us and I think would have hurt us,” said Wendy Will.

Will told Channel 2's Lauren Pozen that she and her kids were on a golf cart through their neighborhood when a deer charged them.

“I do not like deer now. I don’t think they are cute anymore,” she said.

Channel 2 Action News called the biologists at the Georgia Department of Wildlife to ask them about these encounters.

They describe the deer as "city deer" who are used to people, and not afraid to charge at anyone who comes too close to their fawns. But people we spoke with said it's just not adding up.

“Why now? Mamas are going to protect their babies, but why has this not happened in the past if that is the situation?" Daniels asked.