Boystown Deer Forced to Move

The three deer that made their homes in Boystown have to be moved after residents fed them Whole Foods fare

The doe and two fawns that made their urban home in Boystown last week are about to be forced out.

Animal Control says it needs to move the three deer after area residents began feeding the babies milk from bottles and organic apples from Whole Foods.

Officials have said that feeding the deer could be harmful to the animals' health and to the person feeding them if the doe returns to find them too close to her babies.

Animal Control has been monitoring the deer since they moved into their new living quarters behind an apartment building and previously said they would leave the animals alone unless they pose a threat or were injured.

City Animal Care and Control Commissioner Cherie Travis told The Chicago Sun-Times they had asked residents not to feed the deer, but people seemed to ignore the advice. Signs put up asking not to feed the animals were even taken down.

Ald. Tom Tunney's office contacted Animal Care about another concern: the Chicago Annual Pride Parade held next weekend. The parade is expected to bring hundreds of thousands of people to the neighborhood.

The deer will now be moved, but Animal Control says it's no easy task. Travis said they are looking at options to remove them humanely, but so far none have met their standards.

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