A family of deer took a stroll down Main Street on Monday, stopping for lunch in front of a mural at the empty lot.
The mother deer and her fawns crossed the 500 block of Main Street at the crosswalk, taking their time to get over to the dandelions growing in the empty lot. The family caught the attention of several onlookers who marvelled at the juxtaposition of the ‘Environment is in our hands’ mural and the deer coming into the city to eat.
City deer are a common sight in Penticton and have become quite adaptable to our traffic laws for the most part.
Some argue they are giant rats while others say they are gentle, beautiful creatures. Many in Penticton say live and let live.
In the past, Penticton has attempted to follow the province’s process to be allowed to cull deer, but in the end public opposition and the threat of lawsuits caused city hall to drop the idea.
Places like Cranbrook have taken the controversial stance of culling the deer population there. In 2019, council agreed to cull the deer after several aggressive encounters.