WICHITA, Kan. _ Kansas' top wildlife official said the state will establish new guidelines on how to react when a wild animal is being kept as a pet.
On Dec. 19, game wardens shot a family's pet deer in western Kansas. The mule deer, cared for by Kim Mcgaughey for 22 months, was killed near the family's rural driveway with family members watching and taking video of the ordeal, which has gotten nationwide attention.
Game wardens gave Mcgaughey a citation at her workplace for keeping a wild animal as a pet. Within an hour game wardens shot the deer, which the family had named Faline, after Bambi's friend and future mate in the cartoon movie. Mcgaughey regrets she didn't have time to prepare the family for losing the animal, tell the deer goodbye or check into her legal rights.
Robin Jennison, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism secretary, said his agency is wasting no time looking for better options.
"Clearly things could have been handled much better in the field," Jennison said. "It was a bad deal, and our agency has a responsibility to learn from it. We need to get some clear policies in place to help our officers in the field."
Jennison acknowledged the event has drawn nationwide attention since an article appeared in The Wichita Eagle. Several legislators mentioned the matter to Jennison in Topeka recently.
"They're certainly aware of it," Jennison said, "and had some concerns."
Jennison and Mark Rankin, Wildlife and Parks law enforcement assistant director, said the three game wardens acted within the law that forbids the public from having wild animals. Still, Jennison said he has several questions and goals.
One thing is to come up with solid guidelines for the times when game wardens are required to euthanize animals. He's hoping for a method that also includes several steps to ensure it's handled right.
"I'm not even sure where such decision was made, if it was just the game warden or if it was further up the command structure," Jennison said. "We need to have clear-cut guidance and better involve the command structure, if it's not already involved. We also need to make sure our guys in the field make decisions that are in tune with public perception."
Jennison also would like to know why the game wardens insisted the deer be euthanized immediately. Rankin said game wardens had been aware of the animal at Mcgaughey's house for more than a week, after a complaint was phoned into the department.
Jennison and others have asked Rankin to contact other states to see how they handle such situations.
"My direction is to get it right, not fast," said Rankin, who can't remember another time an officer had to euthanize an adult pet deer. "We'll be working on it. We could have another one tomorrow."
Rankin also said the three game wardens didn't have as many options as some believe.
