Wild deer were on the loose in the Halswell area, but it's not clear who will pay for damage the animals caused to residents' property. Photo / Supplied
Wild deer were on the loose in the Halswell area, but it's not clear who will pay for damage the animals caused to residents' property. Photo / Supplied
Locals are questioning how they’re going to pay for damage to their cars and houses after wild deer ran rampant in Christchurch’s Halswell on Sunday.
When one of the animals rammed a hole in his roof, Halswell resident Sam Palmer took to social media.
“Can I invoice a deer for damage? … but seriously if anyone knows the farmer or the farm it came from I’d like to see if I have liability insurance?” he said.
A wild deer rammed a hole in Sam Palmer's roof on Sunday. Photo / George Heard
Christchurch City Council, which usually handles animal control, said the animals were not tagged and therefore outside their jurisdiction.
“The council does not manage wild animals,” said a council spokesperson.
It’s been two days since the incident and Palmer still doesn’t know who’s going to pay for the damage the deer caused.
Wild deer were on the loose in a residential Christchurch suburb on Sunday, reportedly damaging a vehicle, fences and galloping through backyards. Photo / Supplied
“I don’t think I’ll go for insurance because the excess will be more than it costs to fix… I don’t think Mother Nature has insurance either,” he said.
In a bout of bad luck, Palmer’s house went on the market today. But he’s seen the humour in the situation.
“They’ve put up the title as ‘deerly loved’,” he said.
It remains a mystery where the deer went.
“Maybe they went back to the bush, maybe they’re in someone’s freezer, who knows,” said Palmer.
A deer captured by a Halswell resident, running through the street. Photo / Supplied
At least three deer were spotted on Sunday, wreaking havoc in the Halswell suburb, with photos showing damage to a vehicle and houses.
A police spokesperson said they had received a couple of reports of deer being seen in the Halswell area Sunday afternoon.
“One of those related to a car hitting a deer, however, the deer ran off into bushes. The car driver was okay, their car was a bit damaged,” police said.
One resident shared an image online of one of the deer galloping down the middle of a road, with the caption; “Has someone lost a deer?”
Another said; “We’ve just come home to a broken fence, a clump of deer hair and deer prints... I’m a little gutted I wasn’t home to see it.”
There’s been no reported sightings of the deer since 5pm on Sunday.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
