A young deer that was considered a pet to a whole neighborhood in Livingston Parish has been shot, and residents want justice.

Butterbean, as the doe was called, has been visiting the neighborhood in Satsuma, just east of Baton Rouge. The doe was so tame that it let people pet it, and members of the neighborhood had pretty much adopted it as the neighborhood pet.

Residents loved the deer so much that they placed a reflective dog collar around her neck to help keep her safe and to let any hunters know that the deer was a pet.

Well, one man decided to break the hearts of the whole community.

 

Earlier this week, officials with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries became aware of Butterbean and were dispatched to trap the deer. Their plan, according to Patt Leblanc, was to take it to a deer pen until they could determine if the deer escaped from an enclosure.

While the Wildlife and Fisheries agent was attempting to trap the deer, he heard a shot ring out. When he looked up, he saw Butterbean laying in the road. He also noticed a man turning from his porch to go into his home.

According to the post from Leblanc, the shot (reportedly from a .22 rifle) dropped the deer on the street near Leblanc's house.

Leblanc says that the deer was shot in front of him, his children, and the Wildlife and Fisheries agent.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,  Sgt. Edward Ridgel was the agent in the area and witnessed Blythe entering his home with a rifle at the time of the shooting. Sgt Ridgel cited Chad M. Blythe, 53, of Satsuma for shooting Butterbean.

From a news release put out by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries:

Hunting across a public roadway carries a $250 to $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail.  Hunting without basic hunting and deer hunting licenses, and failing to possess deer tags brings up to a $350 fine for each offense.  Blythe may also face civil restitution totaling $1,624 for the replacement value of the illegally taken deer.

 

Butterbean's body was, reportedly, donated to charity.

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