An Ohio deer's attacks are keeping a Cleveland woman inside her home out of fear that the animal, which she believes to be an overprotective mother, will continue terrorizing her.
Cindy Frost first encountered the doe when she tried to
walk her dogs, The Associated Press reported.
The deer charged, and Frost fought it off with a leash and her fist, zigzagging to avoid it, and escaping back inside when the deer slipped on the blacktop. The deer then circled the home. Its fawn lives in Frost's backyard.
“I feel like I’m a prisoner,” Frost told Fox 8 Cleveland. “I can’t take my dogs out for a walk; I can’t even walk down to the end of my property and when I go to my car I’m looking all around.”
The same deer injured a neighbor's dog last year, the station reported.
Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife told Frost that deer rarely attack but can become aggressive around their offspring. If the animals don't move on in a couple of weeks, both doe and fawn may have to be euthanized, an outcome that Frost, an animal lover, said she hopes to avoid, Fox 8 said.
Frost's encounter with the deer has filled her with fear and resulted in bruised ribs when the woman fell.
“People need to be aware this
mom is irate,” Frost told The News-Herald. “I’m just afraid for kids that are out there.”
ODNR spokeswoman Jamey Emmert told the newspaper that the deer population is thriving and encounters with deer are common.
“I suggest that people give wildlife as much space as possible and respect wildlife," Emmert said. "Many times, people approach baby animals because they appear harmless and fearless of humans, but this is not a good idea, especially for the reason being that mom is likely nearby, even if she’s out of sight, and she will do anything to protect her young.”
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.