Final signature count: 337

337 signatures toward our 30,000 goal

A young deer in Lebanon County walked into a business parking lot with the word **PET** spray-painted in bright orange across both sides of his body. He showed no fear of people. He approached officers. He stood calmly beside vehicles even when sirens sounded¹². This behavior did not come from the wild. It came from someone raising him as a pet, then abandoning him once he grew too large.

Wildlife officials who responded said the deer was almost certainly kept inside a home or yard before being released. The paint appeared to have been applied so hunters would not shoot him¹³. But paint cannot protect a deer stripped of the instincts he needs to survive. A habituated deer becomes vulnerable to vehicles, starvation, unlawful capture, and dangerous encounters with humans. In some states, these encounters have already turned deadly².

Pennsylvania already bans keeping deer as pets, yet enforcement depends on neighbors reporting suspicious behavior. Penalties are minimal. Many residents do not realize how much harm they cause when they take in a fawn or attempt to “save” a deer they believe is abandoned. Once a wild animal learns to rely on humans, that innocence can cost the animal its life.

Wildlife Officers Need Stronger Tools to Prevent Cases Like This

The appearance of this spray-painted deer shows how easily people disregard existing laws, leaving officers with few options once the damage is done. Pennsylvania needs stronger deterrence, clearer reporting pathways, and real resources for rehabilitation when human-raised wildlife appears in public spaces.

Veterinarians, feed stores, and community members should have a way to report concerns safely and early. Wildlife agencies need a standard protocol to locate, evaluate, and assist deer that have been imprinted on people. Hunters and wildlife officers should be required to report marked or unusually friendly deer so problems can be addressed before someone is injured or an animal is euthanized.

Compassion must guide these changes. Most people who raise wildlife do not act out of malice. They act out of misunderstanding. But their actions leave animals vulnerable, confused, and often doomed. Stronger policies will protect deer, protect families, and prevent tragedies that never needed to happen.

Pennsylvania has the opportunity to fix a system that fails both people and wildlife. Urge state leaders to strengthen penalties, improve reporting, fund public education, and create a clear rehabilitation plan for human-raised deer. A safer future begins with action.

Sign the petition today.