The dog which killed a young deer in Richmond Park last weekend has not been seized, police said.

The attack by an Irish wolfhound sent shockwaves through the Richmond community.

It happened amid mounting concern among users of the Royal Parks in Richmond about both dogs and visitors getting too close to the deer, particularly during the rutting season.

In a second incident in Bushy Park earlier this week a professional photographer captured remarkable images of a small French bulldog harassing a large stag, causing it to bellow in distress.

Both the Royal Parks and RSPCA charities have issued warnings to dog owners, saying they should make sure their pets are kept under control or face the risk of prosecution.

Police statement

The police told Richmond Nub News: "On Saturday 12th September 2020, a deer was killed by a dog in Richmond Park between 09:00 and 09:06 hours.

"Police arrived on scene at 09:25 hours and details were taken from the owner of the dog.

"The dog has not been seized. The investigation is ongoing.*

The alarming attack raises questions about what should happen to the dog and its owner. Dangerous dogs involved in attacks on people have been seized and, in some extreme cases, even put down.

The RSPCA (Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals) said it was up to the police, who are responsible for enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Act, to decide the next step in this case.

What the RSCPA say

A charity spokesman said: "This terrible incident could have been avoided had the dog owner been responsible and kept their pet on a lead.

"We ask that dog owners be aware that there may be wild animals present in the area when walking their dog and to keep their dog under control at all times.

"Dog owners have a legal responsibility under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to keep their dog under control in a public place."

Deer attack eyewitness

The incident on Saturday, September 12 was witnessed by St Margarets resident Alan Williams who posted his account of the attack online under the heading Dog Killing Deer in Richmond Park.

Mr Williams wrote: "We witnessed a dog attack and kill a young deer in Richmond Park. The dog was some type of Irish Wolfhound cross breed.

"Another witness tried to intervene, whilst the dog owner stood by passively, but was unable to stop the fatal attack. The Police and Park Rangers were called, and we trust that the matter will be dealt with appropriately. We have photos ourselves that we will provide to the Police.

"This was very distressing. Richmond Park has protected status as an important habitat for wildlife and is a National Nature Reserve. It is not a dog playground or a killing field and we all should and need to respect this."

Mr Williams also said he believes it would be right for the owner of the dog to be prosecuted.

Related coverage:

Remarkable images as bulldog takes on a stag

'Deer fed sandwiches and fizzy drinks' - warning by park managers

A few days later photographer and illustrator Max Ellis captured a similar confrontation between a dog and stag in Bushy Park on Monday morning.

The incidents have echoes of an infamous video from November 2011 when a dog called Fenton was recorded chasing a herd of deer.

The video, featuring the dog's exasperated owner shouting for Fenton to return, has been watched more than 22 million times on social media. It later emerged that Fenton was a retired labrador guide dog.

Prosecutions for failing to control your dog

According to the Royal Parks, some 3-4 deer are killed by dogs each year in Richmond Park and another 2-3 after being spooked by them and running in front of cars.

These incidents prompted a statement from Simon Richards, park manager for Richmond Park who said: "We take the welfare of our deer very seriously.