Hamilton Police responded to a wildlife emergency near campus on Sunday, Sept. 14, when students discovered an injured deer behind the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house at 88 Broad St. Hamilton Police ultimately euthanized the animal, leaving student witnesses shaken by the incident.
Members of Beta Theta Pi described being disturbed by sudden, raucous barking noises coming from their backyard. Upon investigating the noise — which was actually coming from the baseball field of Hamilton Central School at 47 West Kendrick Ave. — they discovered a deer lying on the ground, visibly hurt.
Junior Cooper Greene, who heard the initial noises, described the condition of the injured deer.
“Its neck had been mangled super badly, and [it] was missing a leg,” Greene said. “It couldn’t walk or stand, so it was just flailing around on the ground.”
Distressed, the group of students called Campus Safety, who then notified the Hamilton Police Department.
“We called [Campus Safety] and tried to help the deer calm down while they got there,” Greene said.
Hamilton Police Chief Matt Janczuk confirmed that his department was dispatched after receiving a call about the injured deer.
Because of the initial barking noises, the responding students assumed that a dog had attacked the deer. Janczuk was not at the scene himself but had read his own department’s police report and had knowledge of the incident.
“If I had to guess … it was probably hit by a car, which is how it got injured, I would assume,” Janczuk said.
Greene described the euthanization of the deer that followed.
“About a half hour after [Campus Safety] got there, the Hamilton policeman got there,” Greene said. “Using his service weapon, he discharged one bullet in the side of the deer to kill it.”
Janczuk also confirmed it was standard protocol for police officers in his department to decide to euthanize critically injured wildlife as a humane option for the animal and as a matter of public safety.
“That’s a pretty normal procedure in an incident like that, where a deer — any animal — is suffering,” Janczuk said.
While the euthanization followed standard protocol, the proximity to student housing, specifically the residences at 88 Broad Street, meant the incident became a traumatic experience for students who witnessed it.
Greene described an emotional reaction to the incident.
“It was really a sad sight to see. The deer was clearly in a lot of pain,” Greene said.
Greene did, however, agree with the decision to euthanize the deer.
“We tried to help, but there wasn’t much to do. It was for the best that the deer was put down,” Greene said.
Senior Everett Cook expressed similar resigned feelings.
“While we wished to find some solution to the situation which would keep the deer with us, it was evident it would not be able to continue on,” Cook said. “We want to thank the Hamilton Police Department and Campus Safety for their support.”
Janczuk noted that these kinds of wildlife calls are relatively uncommon in Hamilton, especially compared to the past. He also emphasized that not all injured animals require euthanization, citing a recent local case where an injured bald eagle was successfully rehabilitated and released.
Students who encounter injured wildlife in the future are advised to contact the Hamilton Police Department immediately.
“For the injured or sick-looking animals, they should certainly call us and use caution,” Janczuk said.
