‘Aggressive’ doe attacks 85-year-old woman walking dog in Colorado, officials say

An “extremely aggressive” mule deer doe attacked an 85-year-old woman walking her dog Wednesday afternoon in Colorado, state wildlife officials say.

The woman has been hospitalized with serious injuries, Colorado Parks & Wildlife officials wrote in a statement. The attack took place at 4:30 p.m. in Craig in northwest Colorado.

Authorities believe the woman may have surprised the doe, which had two fawns.

“Doe attacks are rare but wildlife officers say they can happen and they can be serious, especially when the animal is rearing her young,” officials wrote.

Colorado Parks & Wildlife officials captured the doe and fawns at 8 p.m.

“Due to the doe’s extremely aggressive behavior,” it will be euthanized, officials wrote.

The fawns will be taken to a wildlife rehabilitation facility while a necropsy, or animal autopsy, is performed on the doe.

Craig, with a population of 9,400 people, has a large mule deer population. Wildlife officials warned of the “dangers of approaching any wildlife, especially females with offspring.”

This story was originally published June 13, 2019 at 6:55 AM with the headline "‘Aggressive’ doe attacks 85-year-old woman walking dog in Colorado, officials say."